'Blood donation is part of healthy lifestyle'

Cho Hyun-su, assistant manager of Samsung SDI's manufacturing team, poses while donating blood in this photo provided by the firm, Monday. / Courtesy of Samsung SDI

By Baek Byung-yeul

Blood donation is a good deed act as there is always a need for a supply of blood for people undergoing major surgery or having been involved in serious accidents, and so each donor plays an important role in the blood supply chain.

Cho Hyun-su is an unsung hero as the Samsung SDI battery engineer has donated blood 191 times over the past 20 years.

“I started to donate my blood when I was a high school student. Once I did so I felt electrified because I could help save someone's life,” Cho told The Korea Times, Monday.

After the first experience, blood donation has become a part of his regular lifestyle. Cho said he feels happy whenever he donates his blood as he can contribute to society in his own way.

To continue being a blood donor, he always tries to exercise every day to keep in good shape.

“I start my day by exercising at a company gym for an hour. Blood donation is a social contribution activity that everyone can easily do. But it is also a thing that not everyone can do. To share healthy blood with people who need it, I think it is important to keep my body healthy,” Cho said.

Working at the firm's small-sized battery manufacturing facility in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, Cho is also known as a missionary for blood donation among his colleagues.

“When the needle is inserted, there is a brief moment of pain but I think the pain can become hope for someone. To share this kind of sense of accomplishment, I have been recommending blood donation to the people around me,” he said adding one of his colleagues has already donated 100 times.

Cho, who received medals from the Korean Red Cross for donating blood 30, 50 and then 100 times, said his goal in 2019 is to reach the milestone of 200 donations.