On Jun 23, Sophie – a teacher from New Zealand – suffered a severe heart attack and was in a coma for six days. By Jul 7, she desperately needed heart surgery but was faced with complications given her rare AB- blood type. Sophie’s family quickly moved mountains and oceans to get a donor for her, and fortunately, she was able to receive enough blood for all three of her operations.

The blood type that Sophie has is also known as “panda blood” and is extremely rare in China, with roughly 0.1 percent of Asia’s population having this blood type. In fact, of the eight different blood types in the world, positives are most common, while negatives are rarer.

Luckily, having AB- blood doesn’t mean you only receive blood from AB- donors, and there are various other types that are compatible. Nevertheless, Sophie’s family’s search took them well outside their friends in Beijing, and they looked as far as Heilongjiang Province and Xizang Province just to find someone bearing either the AB-, A-, B-, or O- blood type.

“I cried when I saw how many people read and shared,” Sophie says.

The ordeal certainly captured the sheer support and love within the capital’s expat community. Simply put, Beijing’s expat community is like a big family that you can always count on to have your back. Whether it be restaurant recommendations, travel tips, or a life-threatening illness, there’s no shortage of help, no matter how big or small the situation is.

Although Beijing is a foreign country for Sophie and her family, they were able to find solace and aid in its expat community. Frankly, moving to Beijing and being away from loved ones is, in no uncertain terms, an arduous task, however, there are always people who will be more than happy to help you thrive while you are here. All the anxiety of settling in a new place disappears – more or less – and your family back home can rest easy knowing that you’re in the loving hands of an international community that cares.

We’re glad that Sophie is feeling better and is on her way to a swift recovery. And for those of you that are planning on moving to Beijing, know that you are welcome, and the expat community can’t wait to welcome you into the family.

KEEP READING: Fun Blood Drive for the Whole Family! Yes, There is Such a Thing

Images: Unsplash, XueFei Liu, MyOASIS 北京明德医院

On Friday, Dec 14, Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) will host a community blood drive from 10am to 3pm on the third floor of Building 2, located on Jiangtai Road. The blood drive is held in cooperation with the Tongzhou Blood Bank and open for donations from those between the ages of 18 and 55. We invite you to come and give the gift of life to those in need. For more information on the importance of giving blood and other details, click here. Full address information and map are available on our website: www.ufh.com.cn.

Simply head to the third floor of Building 2 at BJU’s main hospital in Lido (2, Jiangtai Lu) and let their patient and experienced nurses do the rest.

To find the right spot, go through the lobby of Building 2 (the main building), head toward the café to the left of the reception (behind the pharmacy), and take the elevator up to the third floor. There is a waiting room just as you exit the elevator on the third floor, and this is where the donations will take place. Donating costs you only 200 ml of blood (about 5 percent of your total blood supply) and could save a life.

General criteria for blood donors:


1. Be between 18 and 55 years old;
2. Have not donated blood within the last 6 months;
3. Weigh over 45kg (women) or 55kg (men).

Please keep in mind:

• The day before you donate, please try to eat light and healthy food in order to avoid excessive fat buildup in your blood, which may result in disqualification for donation;
• Remember to bring your official photo ID or passport.

For more information about the blood drive or the hospital, please call their hotline at 4008-919191.

This post is provided by Beijing United Family Hospital
Photos courtesy of Beijing United Family Hospital

“You must find more A negative blood for tomorrow.”

This was the stark message given to Marie and Paul Klein Bog as their daughter Julia lay critically ill in hospital. Only days before they had been celebrating her first birthday, with no idea of the nightmare that was about to confront them. We talked to them about how “Guardian Angels” and social media saved their daughter’s life, and what every parent in Beijing needs to learn from their horrific experience.

Julia was “made in China”, Marie says proudly. Marie, who is French, met Paul from the Netherlands when they were exchange students at Peking University. They settled in the city and married in 2016. Julia Rose was born the following year.

The crisis began one Thursday night, four days after her first birthday party. Julia began vomiting and was sick all night.

“Even a drop of water was not staying in,” Marie says. “So on the Friday morning, I decided to bring Julia to Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) for a check-up, because she was still vomiting. After a quick consultation, she was given some medication, and we were cleared to go home.

“At home, she had a bottle of milk and went straight to sleep for her afternoon nap. She seemed abnormally tired, but I still thought she was alright. Later in the afternoon however after waking up she started vomiting again, showing a brownish color this time, together with severe diarrhea. I called my husband immediately and we took her back to BJU because this time we thought something was definitely wrong.”

At the hospital, Julia was given medication to stop the vomiting and put on a drip to rehydrate. Later that evening, she seemed to have recovered and was discharged again.

“However, as we were walking through the corridor on our way out, Julia started vomiting again, this time with a greenish color – very scary,” Marie says. “Julia was admitted again immediately and brought back to her room. BJU then called for a pediatric surgeon to come in, who asked to do an ultrasound of her abdomen, which showed a ‘mass’ of some kind.

“The doctor finally arrived near 2am, and checked Julia’s status and ultrasound results. While we were talking to the doctor I turned around and saw Julia shaking – she had gone into an epileptic seizure. The seizure lasted for just under one minute, where she stopped breathing for 50 seconds.”

These were the longest seconds of their lives, Marie tells us.

“We could see the doctors and nurses went into a panic and started running up and down the corridor, entering and leaving the room, giving emergency treatment to Julia and trying their best to save her. They finally were able to bring back her breathing and stabilize her situation.”

But the nightmare was just beginning.

“After a night without sleep, we continued doing blood tests all through the next day. With every result that came out, Julia’s condition was worsening. Her red blood cell count was dropping, her white blood cells went extremely high and at the end of the day, she started showing signs of kidney failure. What was extremely challenging for us during this time is that the doctors at BJU didn’t speak English well, and we had a hard time getting a conclusive diagnosis on our daughter’s condition. In broken English, we were told on the Saturday night that Julia was having kidney failure. She had at this time turned anemic, had stopped producing urine or stool and had become bloated all over her body.

“Only then was she diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This is a condition caused by the abnormal destruction of red blood cells. The damaged red blood cells clog the filtering system in the kidneys, which can lead to life-threatening kidney failure. Julia was showing all the symptoms and BJU advised us to make an emergency hospital transfer because she required more intensive care as well as dialysis, something BJU does not have the facilities for. HUS is caused by the bacteria E.coli, which is typically spread by eating contaminated food. However, to this day we still don’t know the origin.

“By emergency ambulance, Julia got transferred into the PICU (pediatrician intensive care unit) at BaYi Children’s Hospital, affiliated to the Beijing Military Hospital. My husband took Julia to the doors of the PICU and there had to hand her over to the medical team. Its PICU is a closed unit, meaning we were not allowed to see her once we admitted her into their care. After a grueling interview with the doctor, in which we had to explain in detail what may have caused her condition, they started intensive treatment consisting of blood transfusion and dialysis. This happened early Saturday morning. This was when Julia’s doctor asked us to recruit blood donors, as her blood type A negative is extremely rare in China, and they were low on supply.”

Because Julia had never been ill before, the Klein Bogs had no idea that their daughter had an unusual blood type. Although A type blood is relatively common, the Rhesus negative factor is so uncommon here that it’s known as “Panda blood,” after China’s most famous endangered species. And communication difficulties made an already harrowing situation even worse.

“The doctor who did the intake interview for Julia at the PICU at first was quite cold and intimidating. Especially after having had to hand over Julia and the doors being closed, this was extremely challenging. What we found out later is that this specific unit is where they handle the most serious cases, and this was, in fact, a trauma ICU, which is why the unit is closed, because their approach is very much focused on the emergency rescue of the admitted children. It was hard for us therefore to get a clear understanding of the situation, as communication with parents is limited.”

Faced with the challenge of finding blood donors for their daughter, the Klein Bogs didn’t know where to turn.

“They simply told us ‘you must find more A negative blood for tomorrow,’ which was very scary. We didn’t know how to contact the blood bank, where it was, or what the procedure was. It turned out we had to recruit people to come directly to a particular building at the hospital where blood could be taken. This seems to be a specific issue for the military hospital, as they are not in direct connection with Beijing’s central blood bank like the other public hospitals are.”

Marie describes this situation as “crazy”. Fortunately, however, Beijing’s international community came to the rescue.

“It started with a phone call I made on Sunday afternoon to my best friend Mathilde, who lives in Wuhan, explaining our situation and that we needed blood. She told me she had a well-connected friend in Beijing who maybe could help. This friend put me in touch with Marianne, who started a whole community on WeChat to find A- donors. Our other very good friends who were by our side in Beijing, Bibiana, Natasha, and Corentin, joined forces together with Marianne and helped to coordinate the WeChat groups to recruit donors. The way that the community rallied for our daughter was simply unbelievable. A negative is much more common among foreigners, which is why we needed the help of the expat community.

“My husband and I at this time were in a state of shock, and therefore relied completely on our friends to organize and coordinate the donation sessions: sending maps on WeChat, checking people’s blood type, informing people about the donation procedure, and after people came to give blood, offering water and snacks to help them recoup. This group, that we called Julia’s ‘Guardian Angels,’ have been our biggest support during these trying times, by helping us stay distracted, helping with language obstacles in communication with doctors, or simply offering a place to sleep, because sleeping at home was too difficult. Having a strong community of friends you can rely on during these times is extremely important, as you realize you are very much in a strange country when things go bad.”

We ask Marie what other parents can learn from her experience.

“Have a plan ready for when the worst happens,” she says. “An international hospital like BJU is a good start, and most of the time they will be able to deal with minor incidents or illnesses. But have some understanding of what the best Chinese hospitals are in town. Make sure you have insurance which is able to cover medical costs to Chinese public hospitals through a local agent – direct billing does not exist in the Chinese public healthcare system. Have someone by your side who is fluent in Chinese for any conversations with doctors; this will help to take the edge off as they are quite harsh in their communication, especially when trying to speak English.

“And in the end, listen to your kid. When something out of the ordinary is going on and you have a weird feeling, take them to see a doctor immediately. As a parent, you know when things are not right.”

Julia is now recovering well, and Marie is full of gratitude to all concerned.

“We would like to thank Doctor Yu Bang at Bayi Hospital, who with his medical team saved Julia, by giving her the emergency rescue that she needed. The skill and expertise of the Bayi PICU is world class; however they could work on patient and parent communication, which seems to be a bigger priority in the medical system in Holland (where we are now) and the West.

“Next to the medical care our daughter received, it has really been the tremendous support of our relatives and close community of friends that pulled us through as a family. We are indebted to Julia’s donors forever, they are real heroes. Julia is also now a superhero as she has had new blood from France, the US, Ukraine, Brazil, China (one Chinese A negative donor came!), Germany, Canada, Russia…”

Thanks to all these people, the story has a happy ending.

“We are now in Holland for follow-up care,” Marie tells us. “Julia is doing very well and has shown great resilience throughout the whole process. She is a happy little girl again, and we can focus on her having a normal healthy life.”

Whether or not you have “panda blood”, Beijing hospitals always need blood. You can donate blood in Beijing at the Red Cross Blood Center, on the North Third Ring Road, near Anhuaqiao subway station on Line 8. Or you can join a community of blood donors by searching for Bloodline Beijing on WeChat.

This article first appeared in the beijingkids December 2018 Charity and Goodwill issue.
Photos: Courtesy of Marie and Paul Klein Bog

If we told you about a Halloween event where the organizers wanted your blood, you might think we were in league with vampires. But this unique evening is not about the undead, it’s about saving lives.

Bloodline is a charity dedicated to promoting blood donation in China, and this Halloween they’re teaming up with craft brewery Little Creatures to put on “A Little Bloody Halloween”. As organizer Bibiana Lin told us, the event was inspired by a recent incident in which a girl from Beijing’s international community with a rare blood type was saved by an appeal on social media.

“We originally wanted to organize an event to thank the donors for helping Julia,” Lin said. “It evolved into working with Bloodline to raise awareness on the importance of blood donation and creating more support for those with rare blood types living in Beijing.”

But the evening promises to be enjoyable as well as worthwhile.

“We will be sharing information on the do’s and don’t’s of blood donation, and about how people can contribute, in a fun and relaxed setting, over some food and drinks.”

Photos: Luna Sea via sketchport.com, courtesy of organizers

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Blood transfusion is something most of us are lucky enough not to have to think about, most of the time. But for others, particularly those with rare blood types, it’s a matter of life and death.

And in Beijing, the issue is even more important. Donation levels in China are low, and city hospitals face particular pressures as many travel from the countryside in search of medical treatment. In February, the government stopped a long-running scheme which gave donors priority for transfusions, a priority which they could transfer to friends and family. If the day ever comes when you need blood, can you be sure you could get it?

Fortunately, some in the international community have responded to this issue. Bloodline describes itself as “a non-profit organization of like-minded individuals, dedicated to providing blood during an emergency.” We asked founder Racelle Luo how the organization came about.

“When I was pregnant with my daughter three years ago,” she told us, “I created a ‘rare blood types of Shanghai’ group because I realized the need for blood here. Over a year later, I met Dr. Maskay when he was looking for blood for a patient, a young woman with rhesus negative blood. I had over 100 people with negative blood in my group and many stepped up to donate. After Dr. Maskay and I met, we decided to put our efforts together and created Bloodline.”

Bloodline is Shanghai-based, but there is a Beijing WeChat group too, Bloodline BJ.

“We have Bloodline China which covers all the areas we don’t have groups for. And we have groups for Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hainan, and Xiamen as far as I remember off the top of my head!”

Some may be deterred from giving blood in China by memories of past scandals, but Luo told us she is confident that those problems are firmly in the past.

“In my 12 years in China,” she said, “in both Beijing and Shanghai, I have never had an issue or seen anyone else have an issue from blood donation.”

If you want to help, you can donate blood in Beijing at the Red Cross Blood Center, on the North Third Ring Road, near Anhuaqiao subway station on line 8. As Luo told us, you might well be saving someone’s life.

“As Bloodline,” she told us, “and before Bloodline was created, we have many, many cases of the community coming together and donating on behalf of someone they do not know in order to help save lives. It’s amazing what we can do as a community!”

Red Cross Blood Center
37 N 3rd Ring Rd Middle, Haidian Qu. 北京市红十字血液中心北三环中路37号.

This Wednesday (June 14) is World Blood Donor Day and this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) focusing its campaign on emergency situations and people affected by emergencies. “The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood,” the organization said, adding that blood services in many countries worldwide are facing the challenges of sufficiency and ensuring quality and safety.

“Blood is an important resource, both for planned treatments and urgent interventions,” WHO said. “It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with a higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. Blood is also vital for treating the wounded during emergencies of all kinds [like]natural disasters, accidents, armed conflicts. [It also] has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and perinatal care.”

In Beijing, the Beijing Blood Center in Tongzhou District is one of the few health facilities that stores a stock of different types of blood. Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) has partnered with the center and organized blood donation drives for the past 15 years. The hospital says it maintains its own blood bank, though it acquires special blood types from the Beijing Blood Center.

Meanwhile, Oasis International Hospital says that the blood group China lacks most is the rare Rh negative type, nicknamed the “panda blood.” Oasis says that only three out of a thousand Chinese are born with this blood type.

In time for the observance of World Blood Donor Day, both hospitals will be holding a donation drive this week.

Blood Drive at Oasis International Hospital, June 14
Ages 18+. Oasis International Hospital is hosting a blood donation drive, in coordination with the Beijing Red Cross Blood Center. The drive will take place in Room 108  from 9am to 11.30am. Donors will be given an Oasis first aid kit as an incentive (see picture below). Oasis reminds donors to bring a Chinese ID or passport and to avoid alcohol, medication, or greasy food prior to the activity. To register, message Oasis’s official WeChat account (ID: MyOasis) or email Ashley.Gaul@oasishealth.cn with the following details: (1) Name; (2) contact number; and (3) blood type.

Beijing United Family Hospital Community Blood Drive, June 16

Ages 18-55. BJU invites everyone to join its blood donation drive, to be held on 3F Building 2 of its main hospital on Jiangtai Lu at 10am-3pm. The general criteria for blood donors are as follows:

1. 18-55 years old.
2. Have not donated blood within the last 6 months.
3. Weight over 45 kg (female) or 55 kg (male).

BJU reminds blood donors about eating light and healthy food the day before donation to avoid fat buildup as this may result in disqualification for donation. Donors must bring an official ID or passport. Before the donation drive, donors will be checked for blood pulse, pressure, body temperature, and hemoglobin (red blood cell) count. For more information about BJU’s blood donation drive, visit their website FAQ here.

Photos: rdelarosa0 via Pixabay (for the featured pic and blood bag); siberian_beard via Pixabay; Oasis International Hospital; Beijing United Family Hospital

More stories by this author here.
Email: andypenafuerte@beijing-kids.com
Instagram: @coolkidandy

Shunyi Happenings this week offers multiple camps for you children, opportunities to fund raise for a good cause or donate blood to save a life and options to challenge yourself physically with a hike or a run! If you want to promote an event, store opening or closing, sale, and any other fun family friendly event taking place in Shunyi, please get in touch with our Shunyi Correspondent Anjana Kainikkara by emailing anjanakainikkara@beijing-kids.com

Labour Day Survival Camp with Imagine, Apr 29 – May 2
Feeling adventurous? You won’t regret signing up for this camp! Learn survival skills by making a fire, building a raft, crossing rivers, making traps and cooking on open fires. Experience the outdoors and develop a deeper sense of appreciation for it through this camp.  Transportation from three different locations provided. Price is all inclusive.

All ages. RMB 700 per day. Shimenshan, Huairou District.
Transportation offered: 8.30am-5.40pm, at Starbucks, Lido Place, Metropark Lido Hotel. 9am-5.15pm, at Riviera Country Club. 9.20am-4.55pm, at Kuliushu Huandao Houshayu. Imagine (www.imagine-china.com/survival-camp-labour-day/)

Multi Martial Arts Camp by Flips and Kicks at BSB, Apr 30 – May 2
This Multi-Martial Arts Camp will give you a taste of Tai Ji/Wushu, Karate, BJJ, Muaythai, Taekwondo and more! Expert coaches will be on hand to ensure your child has a safe and fun experience. This is a great opportunity if your kid is unsure of which style they prefer, as he or she can try all of these and decide for themselves what they’d like to pursue. For more information go to www.flipsandkicksplus.com

Ages 9-18.  Flips & Kicks Plus, (13718462044, info@flipsandkicksplus.com)

BJU Blood Drive at International School of Beijing at ISB Spring Fair, May 7

The ISB Spring Fair is a fun event for the whole family! Engaging games, activities, food and shopping will keep everyone entertained. You will also have a couple of different options to choose from if you’re feeling charitable on that day. Browse the latest reads at the Roundabout book fair or donate blood for the BJU Blood Drive. The Boy Scouts Troop 943 should feel extremely proud of their initiative to work in conjunction with Tongzhou Blood Center and Beijing United Family Hospital, and organize a Community Blood Drive. Come and support this great effort by donating to save lives! Passport/ID required for registration. Walk-ins welcome, or reserve a time with Jenifer at Jenifer.Sullivan@ufh.com.cn

All ages. Free. 10am-4pm. ISB, 10, An Hua Street, Shunyi District, (10 8149 2345)

Annual Harrowthon Charity Event with Roundabout, May 8
Harrowthon, an annual charity event, is joing with Roundabout to host a mini book fair. In line with Harrow, London’s tradition, all students will participate in one of the events for their House. Visitors will have an opportunity to browse the Roundabout stalls while sampling a delicious range of food and beverages. A football match in the afternoon, with staff playing against a Chinese All-Star celebrity team, is on the agenda to get the crowds pumped up and add more excitement. Money raised at this event will go towards Roundabout. The races commence at 9:15am and the fee includes Goodie Inc. T-shirts and souvenirs. You can support your participating children or even participate yourself!

RMB 100. 9am onwards. Register online for the 10K race in person at the school. Harrow International School Beijing, No.287, Hegezhuang Village, Cuigezhuang County, Chaoyang District, (+86 10 64448900)

Mother’s Day Hike, May 8
Join the Beijing Hikers on a lovely hiking tour through Xiangtun Village to the Little Lake/ Yanqing. There are two trails to choose from depending on family size and ages of accompanying children. The first one is a 7 km looping trail through lush valleys in the hills, just North of Ming Tombs, suitable for families with smaller children. Starting off on a dirt trail, off of the main road, you’ll walk through chestnut orchards towards a small village. The second 12 km trail, best for families with older children, goes through a forested and leafy valley, with a small stream flowing through it. Sign your family up for one of these and celebrate Mother Nature on Mother’s day!

All ages. 210 RMB. 9am-5.30pm. Riviera Country Club, No.1,  Xiang Jiang Bei Road, Chaoyang District (+86 10 84506888)

Photo Courtesy: BJU, Harrow International School Beijing, Riviera Country Club, Flips and Kicks Plus, Imagine, International School of Beijing.