A new charity association was established recently in Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region, to support public welfare including the donation of blood, hematopoietic stem cells and human organs.

The Tibet Three Donations Serving Association is believed to be the region's first such charity, and China's first provincial-level association focusing on such donations.

Tsering Norbu, the founder of the association, said that since 2014, he has been participating in blood donations, and he had noticed the lack of an organization in Tibet to work on such donations.

In July 2019, he established a volunteer team with some of his friends. After more than 800 people joined in the last two years, he thought of establishing a service association.

"I hope more patients will benefit via this association, because all the volunteers have registered to donate blood, hematopoietic stem cells or organs in needed circumstances," said Tsering Norbu.

He said the work of encouraging more people to support the donations needs to be strengthened in Tibet, as the publicity work was inadequate.

"Fewer people in Tibet support the work so far, not because of their beliefs or other factors, but due to inadequate publicity," he said. "Most Tibetan people are Buddhists, so donation of physical objects accords with their religious practices because it is saving the lives of other people."

Basang Tsering, office director of the Tibet Red Cross, said that in recent years, an increasing number of people in Tibet have supported such donations, and more than 3,000 volunteers have registered to donate hematopoietic stem cells, including nine people who have already done so. More than 5,000 people have registered to donate remains or organs.

Norbu Dondrub, a 44-year-old Lhasa resident, became a volunteer last year with his wife and daughter.

"I had thought of volunteering to become an organ donor in the past. Now that an official association has been founded, it's a good thing," he said. "Not many people are aware of the importance of donating remains, or organs to patients, because such local organizations are needed to make people have trust and understanding.

"As a Buddhist, I think it's more important to pay attention to the donation of blood, cells, remains or organs, because our human body is impermanent, it will be gone one day.

"My wife, daughter and I have promised to give a hand when there is a need for organs. We regard it as the best donation."