LAST BLOOD DONATION OF A HERO

[Anchor Lead]

A 69-year-old man has donated blood once every two months for over four decades. A few days ago he made his final donation, five days before reaching the maximum blood donation age.

[Pkg]

A man wearing a face mask and a hat is seen hydrating himself. This is 69-year-old Yeo Tae-keun, and he's here to make a blood donation for the last time in his life.

[Soundbite] "(Mr. Yeo Tae-keun, it's your 263rd donation. I'll collect 400ml whole blood.) Okay."

As soon as the process begins, the man clinches and relaxes his fist repeatedly, like he has done this many times before. Yeo is a driver. He is licensed to operate taxi cabs, buses and freight trucks. He's been donating blood whenever he's had free time since his early 20s. For a total of 45 years now, roughly once every two months, Yeo has donated blood 262 times. He has helped save 138 lives and aided the manufacturing of medicines for hemophilia and burn patients. Five days before turning 69, the top cap for blood donation, he made the final donation of his life.

[Soundbite] Yeo Tae-keun(Blood donor) : "I believe anyone can share their blood as much as they can. I wish the maximum blood donation age was extended so I can have more opportunities."

Blood supply in Korea has remained in the less than five days' worth category for nearly a month now because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

[Soundbite] Yoon Hye-kyung(Korea Red Cross) : "The number of blood donors keeps decreasing because of the Omicron outbreak and the cold weather."

The inspiring story of this man gives hope as the nation struggles with blood supply shortages amid the unprecedented pandemic.