Ha Dong and Nhu Tinh in Red Journey. (Photo: NVCC).
Red Journey has connected the passion of youth and brought many young people together. Nguyen Ha Dong (born in 1995) and Tran Nhu Tinh (born in 1996) are such a couple.
Many people know Ha Dong as the startup "Mr. Huong Farm Stay" in Nhuan Thach village, Dong Tien ward or an MC, tour guide, event organizer... But before that - since he was a student of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies - Tourism at Hong Duc University, this round-faced boy was quite prominent in social activities, especially the voluntary blood donation movement.
Ha Dong said: “At first, I had quite an... extreme thought about voluntary blood donation, because I thought that I was donating blood but the hospital would take my blood and sell it to patients. So, my first blood donation - in 2015, was because my friends persuaded me to donate blood, almost... forced me.”
Up to now, after 10 years, Ha Dong has donated blood 36 times. In 2024, Dong was among the 100 outstanding voluntary blood donors nationally. That journey has improved Dong's awareness and equipped him with the basic knowledge to become an active and in-depth propagandist for events, programs, clubs, associations, and voluntary blood donation groups in the province and national. At the same time, through organizing blood donation programs since he was a student, Dong has gradually improved his leadership, organization, gathering, speaking, inspiring, and messaging skills - the foundation for his current job.
During 35 days of traveling together on the Red Journey through 28 provinces and cities from Ca Mau to Hanoi, the Thanh Hoa boy "fell in love" with the pretty, enthusiastic girl with a radiant smile from Quang Nam .
But more than anything, the greatest and most meaningful thing Dong got from "giving" his blood freely was the relationship with his life partner.
At the 5th Red Journey across Vietnam - 2017 with the theme "Connecting Vietnamese blood", Ha Dong and Nhu Tinh were 2 of 120 core volunteers selected from 10,000 national volunteers. During 35 days of accompanying each other in communication, propaganda, mobilization, visiting patients, families of war invalids and martyrs, organizing blood donation festivals... through 28 provinces and cities from Ca Mau to Hanoi , the Thanh Hoa boy "fell in love" with the pretty, enthusiastic girl with a radiant smile from Quang Nam.
Near the end of the journey, on the yard of Quang Binh University, Ha Dong proposed to the beauty queen of the group and was responded by Nhu Tinh with all the innocence and purity of youth on a journey of charity.
The farewell flag-raising ceremony for volunteers after the end of the Red Journey took place at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion that year, filled with emotion - it was also the moment when the humane thread connected two young souls of the Central region with deep affection.
After graduating from the National Academy of Public Administration - Ho Chi Minh City Branch, Nhu Tinh returned to Da Nang to work. Ha Dong worked in Thanh Hoa. After 6 years of long-distance love with many worries about starting a career, at most they could only see each other two or three times a year. Not to mention, during the years of love, the two also faced facing from their families because of the great distance and cultural differences. However, overcoming all obstacles, the couple decided to get married in a warm wedding at the end of 2023 - with the wedding ceremony held at the stage of "Ong Huong Farm Stay" - the "brainchild" of Ha Dong.
The wedding ceremony of Ha Dong - Nhu Tinh was held at "Ong Huong Farm Stay". (Photo: NVCC).
"The most touching thing was that all the blood donation volunteers from the South and the North came to attend the wedding. And like all the other reunions, my husband and I got to perform the folk dance to the song Living Together," Ha Dong shared.
At times like these, we remind each other: Think about why you started!
Nhu Tinh works in the field of insurance staff training, and her work has also received positive support from her previous experience as a volunteer blood donor. The seeds of happiness that Ha Dong - Nhu Tinh sowed on the journey of charity are now more joyful thanks to the laughter of her little daughter. However, like many other young families, regional factors have led to "phase differences" in daily life.
“At times like these, we remind each other: Think about the reason why you started!”, Ha Dong ended the story with a smile.
Launched in 2013 in response to the urgent need to ensure blood supply for emergency and treatment during the summer when blood is scarce, Red Journey has grown stronger and stronger, attracting many localities to participate, becoming the largest blood donation campaign in our country. In 2025, the program officially opened on May 30, 2025 at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion. The 13th Red Journey - 2025 is chaired by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, in coordination with the Office of the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation, VTVCorp Joint Stock Company, Blood Transfusion Centers, Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation - Red Cross Association of 48 provinces/cities. The program will last for 2 months (May 30 - July 30) in 48 provinces/cities and is expected to collect 100,000 units of blood. |
Nguyen Phong
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Lesson 5: A Drop of Blood - A Prayer for Life
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/cau-chuyen-nho-trong-hanh-trinh-do-bai-4-noi-tinh-yeu-bat-dau-254070.htm
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