Transfusion service brings learning

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.

Imparting knowledge: Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service Advanced Practice Nurse Lee Wing-sze says the service’s guided tours give students the chance to learn in a relaxed and engaging mode. Image source: www.news.gov.hk

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.”

Learning opportunity: Students are shown around the haemoglobin testing area, donation area and blood processing area to learn about overall workflows and the professional equipment involved. Image source: www.news.gov.hk

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.

Valuable donors: Following their participation in the tour, these students made the decision to give blood. Image source: www.news.gov.hk

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.

Extensive impact: The blood transfusion 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. Image source: www.news.gov.hk

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.”

Vital message: Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service Head of Blood Collection & Donor Recruitment Department Dr Jacky Kong says the service believes that establishing a solid foundation of blood-related knowledge is very important for all teenagers to become blood donors in the long run. Image source: www.news.gov.hk

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL staunchly defended the Philadelphia Eagles' handling of quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blood clots on Tuesday, while hours later the players' union called for an investigation of the situation.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Associated Press that the Eagles were not being disciplined for their actions with Hurts. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because conversations between the league and team were to remain private.

Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, offered a passionate defense of how the Eagles treated Hurts, following a statement from the league that said officials had been in contact with Philadelphia’s medical personnel and the Cleveland Clinic in London throughout the process.

“I have complete confidence in the Eagles’ medical staff and their handling of this situation, and I would characterize their work as very conservative, very patient-focused and appropriately guarded at every step,” Sills said at the league’s annual fall meeting. “I don’t think you can take that outcome and say there was something flawed about the process. Sometimes in medicine, we do all the right things and diseases progress and other things develop. ...

“In this case, everyone was incredibly conservative and incredibly vigilant and was very quick to make diagnoses of these conditions that might not have been diagnosed in a nonathlete.”

The NFL Players Association in a statement said it was told by the league that a review was not planned.

“Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred,” the union said. “Determining the facts is essential to ensuring players receive the highest level of care and protection going forward.”

Hurts is on injured reserve and expected to miss the rest of the season after a blood clot in his left calf traveled to his lungs. The Eagles and agent Nicole Lynn said Monday that Hurts has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary embolisms.

NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller took issue with “uninformed speculation” in reports Monday that Hurts went more than 30 hours without sleep last weekend before playing.

“Jalen Hurts returned to the hotel, slept for a period of time and went to the stadium,” Miller said, estimating that Hurts slept for around seven or eight hours. “Both talking to the Eagles’ staff and making sure from people on the ground, tracking the case, talking to the independent hospital and doctors involved that we have, I think, a complete understanding of the course of events.”

Sills said the league and the players' union study and track blood clots annually. He declined to go into specifics about Hurts' condition, citing patient privacy, and reiterated multiple times that treating a blood clot involves looking at multiple factors.

Dr. Caron Rockman, a vascular surgeon for roughly 30 years, said based on what she has read, there's no evidence the Eagles acted improperly while dealing with what she called not a textbook issue.

“It’s a judgment call,” said Rockman, who is currently a chair at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey and did not treat Hurts. “I think it’s really a case-by-case basis. In my personal opinion, superficial vein thrombosis is not a (disqualification) to fly.”

Hurts' treatment moving forward involves blood thinners, and he will not be allowed to participate in any football activities until he is off them.

Hurts played in London against Jacksonville on Oct. 11, three days after informing medical staff of the injury after practice. He was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis.

“I think there was incredible vigilance, there was conservative care, state-of-the-art imaging that was done in London,” Sills said. “And, as far as the timing and the decision-making, I have great confidence in that and believe that everyone acted with an abundance of caution.”

Sills in his opening statement that lasted more than five minutes said all decisions are made with medicine over football.

“The notion that there are external factors or that any of our physicians would put a player in harm’s way — that’s nonsense,” Sills said.

AP Sports Writer David Brandt in Phoenix and AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) passes the ball during an NFL football game against Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)