KPJ: BTK brings cheer to patients

17 June 2025

KOTA KINABALU: KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital organised its Blood Donation Drive in conjunction with World Blood Donor Day, held at the hospital’s main lobby.

It was themed "Once a blood donor, forever a lifesaver."

As part of its annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, aligned with its tagline ‘Care for Life’, KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital collaborated with the Transfusion Medicine Unit of Queen Elizabeth Hospital II to host this important event.

Left to right: Josui Kinol, Bryan Soo and Petley Peter

The theme for the campaign was “Once a blood donor, forever a lifesaver”. This one-day initiative aimed to collect 60 pints of blood but managed to gather 38 pints. The donors included KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital staff, visitors to the hospital, and members of the public, including new donors motivated to contribute towards achieving the campaign’s objectives.

The main goals of the Blood Donation Drive were to replenish the blood supply at the Blood Bank of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, ensuring an adequate stock for patients in critical need. Additionally, the campaign sought to educate the public about the importance of blood donation, encourage new donors to step forward, motivate regular donors to continue donating, and strengthen community involvement.

In a bid to promote youth engagement, Bryan Soo, the winner of Buvazoi Tavantang Kaamatan (BTK) 2025 Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu and the first runner-up at the Sabah state level of Buvazoi Tavantang Kaamatan 2025, attended the campaign. He was accompanied by Josue Kinol, the winner of Buvazoi Tavantang Kaamatan Inanam, and Petley Peter, the winner of Buvazoi Tavantang Kaamatan Likas. Leveraging their popularity and influence within the Kadazandusun Murut Rungus (KDMR) community, they actively promoted blood donation and encouraged more people to participate. They also visited patients in the wards and donated blood themselves.

Bryan expressed his happiness in visiting KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital, emphasising that he found the activity to be highly meaningful. He believed that such initiatives play a vital role in raising awareness and fostering a sense of community. He also expressed confidence that KPJ could expand the scope of these activities, engage more people and make an even greater impact through increased involvement.

Regarding the blood donation drive itself, Bryan described it as a wonderful initiative. He mentioned that this was his second time participating, highlighting his commitment to supporting the cause. He conveyed his admiration for the campaign’s organisation and hoped that more people would follow his example and contribute to saving lives through this life-saving act.

Josue concurred, sharing that it was his first time visiting KPJ and that he was quite impressed by the size of the building and the range of services offered.

“I had the opportunity to meet some of the patients and speak with them, offering words of encouragement. I am grateful to KPJ for this wonderful opportunity. As for the blood donation drive, I have never donated blood before, so this will be my first time. I believe that activities like this are vital, as they help those in need and can truly make a difference in saving lives. I am honoured to be part of it and look forward to contributing further in the future.”.

Petley expressed his delight in visiting the hospital and engaging with the patients, noting that he was pleased to offer words of encouragement and support.

“I believe it is important for more people, particularly young people, to recognise their social responsibilities. By actively participating in visits like these, they can provide comfort and encouragement to those who are unwell or less fortunate. Such acts of kindness not only benefit the recipients but also help nurture a sense of compassion and community among the youth.”

“I sincerely hope more young individuals will realise the positive impact they can make through their involvement and dedication to giving back to society,” he said.

Meanwhile, all donors were rewarded with goodie bags and attractive lucky draw prizes. Special thanks go to Yakult (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd for their generous support of the KPJ Sabah Blood Donation Drive.

KPJ Sabah is truly grateful for the overwhelming support received from our generous donors, whose contributions made this World Blood Donor Day campaign a remarkable success in helping save lives.