A group of SPHRC Kung Yik She Secondary School students recently received a different kind of biology lesson as they ventured outside of the classroom on a visit to the Yuen Long Blood Donor Centre.

The Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service expanded its “A Biology Class outside of the Classroom” scheme this year. Originally run exclusively at the service’s headquarters, it is now offered at all donor centres, making it much more accessible to school groups.

Real-life settings

Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service Advanced Practice Nurse Lee Wing-sze explained that guided tours, which last an hour, give students the chance to learn in a relaxed and engaging mode.

“As blood-related knowledge is a part of the senior secondary biology curriculum, we integrate these topics into the visit, allowing students to learn within a real-life setting.”

Giving blood

The tour consists of three parts. First, interactive games and information boards are used to introduce basic concepts such as blood types, donor eligibility, and how blood saves lives.

Students then tour the haemoglobin testing area, donation area and blood processing area, learning about overall workflows and the professional equipment involved.

Finally, staff answer questions on the spot to alleviate anxiety and dispel any fears before students make their own decisions on whether to donate blood.

Secondary school student Ryan Yip said that before he experienced the tour, he felt stressed about giving blood.

“I think this whole process is kind of frightening, but after the nurses told me the process is safe and it is all under standard conditions, I think that really comforted me and gave me some confidence to be a voluntary blood donor.”

Another secondary school student, Kelvin To, said he would urge his friends to donate blood after learning about how donations save lives.

Saving lives

The service’s Head of Blood Collection & Donor Recruitment Department Dr Jacky Kong said that establishing a solid foundation of blood-related knowledge is crucial to encouraging teenagers to become blood donors in the long run.

“We believe that interaction with our staff and blood donors is very important for them to be exposed to why blood donation is important for the public.”

The service reaches out to secondary schools across Hong Kong and, to date, has arranged talks or donor centre visits for more than 60 schools in the current academic year.

SPHRC Kung Yik She Secondary School Principal Liu Siu-lin said she fully supports the lessons the service provides as they allow students to witness first-hand how blood is processed and transformed into life-saving products.

“This unique lesson shows that science is not just about cold data, but about saving lives.”