How many times have you donated blood?

For 62-year-old Lim Kim Koon, his blood donation count exceeds hundreds — a remarkable 368 times.

An initial blood donation campaign in 1983 encouraged an 18-year-old Kim Koon to make his first donation.

Although blood donation has become second nature for him, there was a moment when he felt hesitant.

"I heard some myths... such as when you first donate, you might feel giddy, or that you might put on weight," he told AsiaOne in an interview on Tuesday (April 14).

However, with the support of his work supervisor, Kim Koon decided to proceed with the donation.

His apprehensions vanished when he realized everything was fine after donating blood.

The insurance agent has since been a dedicated blood donor, adopting a strict lifestyle to ensure the success of each donation.

Kim Koon runs 10km daily and carefully manages his diet, avoiding barbecued, grilled, and deep-fried foods. He even gave up his favorite durians.

For the past decade, he has adhered to a vegetarian diet.

"It's for the sake of the patients [who need blood]," Kim Koon expressed.

He humorously likened himself to the orange juice vending machines found around Singapore, stating: "I'm just a blood machine. I live for the sake of donating blood."

Kim Koon is a strong advocate for blood donation, motivating those around him to become donors by consistently visiting the blood bank every 28 days.

"I show by example, because you can't use words to express this. You have to see [the process] for yourself to understand," he remarked.

This commitment has inspired his elder sister and daughter to become blood donors as well.

Benefits of Blood Donation

Another long-time donor, Philip Tan, 65, works in the healthcare sector.

His blood donation journey began during National Service (NS) in 1979, motivated by the promise of a half-day off.

What began as a simple incentive quickly evolved into a lifelong commitment for Philip.

"The incentive was very attractive, so it started out that way. But as I grew into the journey, I began to realize the benefits of donating blood," he said.

"I'm able to contribute to society in my own small way. It doesn't require a lot of effort. All you need to do is show up, and it takes about 20 minutes. Sit down, get started, and you're already helping the community," he explained.

Like Kim Koon, Philip maintains a healthy lifestyle to remain eligible for blood donation. He enjoys walks and follows a nutrient-rich diet, ensuring adequate iron intake, which is vital for blood donors.

"You tend to look after yourself better in order to donate blood," he noted, emphasizing that blood donations benefit both the recipient and the donor.

The significance of donating blood became even clearer for Philip when friends undergoing surgery had to appeal for blood donors.

A strong advocate for blood donation, Philip often informs his friends whenever he is "reporting" for blood donation.

"Every time you come for blood donation, they do a check-up for you," he mentioned. "If you're able to continue giving, then you don't have to worry about your health."

Addressing those hesitant about donating due to a fear of needles or pain, Philip posed a poignant question: "Imagine that somebody in your family requires blood, are you going to let the fear of needles stop you from helping them?"

Philip's wife, 62-year-old Sally, was also a dedicated blood donor.

"It became a joint effort," he shared, adding that they would go on blood bank "dates" every three months.

While Sally can no longer donate blood due to health reasons, she continues to support Philip by accompanying him on his monthly donations. Together, they have made over 493 donations, with Sally contributing at least 150 and Philip 343.

Giving Blood Despite Fear

Dr. Sadali Rasban, 67, is another strong advocate for blood donation.

His journey began at 21 when a friend took him to the blood bank.

"I've always believed in helping other people. If you can help, why not? There's no cost at all," said the consultant in Muslim law and estate planning.

With 302 donations and counting, Dr. Sadali's passion for blood donation has inspired his three sons to also become donors — one has donated 30 times, another 27 times, and his youngest son, still in polytechnic, has donated three times.

Despite his long history of donating blood, he admits to having a fear of needles.

"Every time the nurse puts the needle into my arm, I look away and close my eyes," Dr. Sadali confessed, adding that he distracts himself with the television or thoughts of other things.

Nonetheless, his dedication to helping others drives him forward.

"The best thing you can do as a human being is to give," Dr. Sadali stated. "Everybody has some fear, but just look at the good side of it. You're going to help somebody."

A Call for Young Blood

To those contemplating blood donation, Dr. Sadali emphasizes that there's no better time than now.

"You've got to do it now. Do not procrastinate, because you never know what could happen. You may not have the chance to donate if you keep delaying it, because health may be an issue by then," he advised.

Philip echoes Dr. Sadali's appeal for blood donors, especially the youth, to step up and take action.

"The younger generations need to step up and respond to the call to contribute."

For their dedication, Kim Koon, Philip, and Dr. Sadali were among the award recipients at the 80 Years of Gifting Blood event on Wednesday.

Organized by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Singapore Red Cross (SRC), the event celebrates 80 years of the National Blood Programme and honors those who have donated blood at least 250 times.

During the event, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung expressed gratitude to the award recipients, saying: "Thank you for sustaining our blood supply all these years."

Recognizing the challenges in blood donation, the health minister stated: "We can be more inclusive in recruiting donors. We will do this through a rigorous, evidence-based approach to widen donor eligibility."

Since 2023, those who have lived in countries with known instances of the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can now donate blood again. "This will be done via apheresis blood donation, where only certain components of their blood need to be taken, thereby eliminating any risks to the recipients," he explained.

According to HSA, apheresis donations can be made every four weeks for platelets and plasma, and every 16 weeks for double red cells.

The automated process takes longer than standard whole blood donation — from 60 to 90 minutes for platelets and 45 minutes for plasma and double red cells.

"We will step up efforts to reach out to younger donors," Minister Ong added, noting that young working adults are active blood donors.

He also announced new initiatives for blood donors in the second half of 2026.

These include a new Healthpoints program by HSA, SRC, and the Health Promotion Board, where donors will earn points for every successful blood donation. In the Healthy 365 app, these points can be redeemed for MediShield Life premium discounts, e-vouchers at participating lifestyle retailers and food outlets, as well as donations to community causes. More details will be announced in June.

Another initiative is the 80 for 80 Blood Donation Marathon, a nationwide movement aimed at encouraging more organizations to support the National Blood Programme by gathering 80 people to donate blood together.

This initiative seeks to foster a sustained culture of care and community commitment, marking the beginning of a long-term effort to strengthen Singapore's blood donation ecosystem.

HSA will be the first organization to participate in this initiative, followed by ITE College Central. The marathon will conclude with SRC at the end of the year.