Kindness is in ex-policeman's blood

Retired police officer Li Kam-keung keeps himself fit. At 59, he is tanned and honed through swimming and running, among other sports.

Personal fitness is one of his hobbies, but it also has a more altruistic purpose. Li is Hong Kong's longest-serving blood donor, having started his self-sacrificing endeavour at the age of 18. In order to give blood on average every two weeks, he needs to be in peak condition.

As of June this year, Li, a former traffic policeman, had made 549 donations - the highest number recorded by any donor at the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service.

According to the Red Cross, which nominated Li in the "Self-sacrifice to Achieve Greater Good" category of the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards 2014, Li's efforts have benefited hundreds of patients. The organisation says Li should be recognised as a role model who inspires the younger generation.

As an adult male, Li can give whole blood once every three months and, every two weeks, apheresis, in which platelets or plasma are drawn from the blood, with the rest returned to the donor.

"I would regard it more as a habit these days than a service to the community," the self-effacing Li says. "We should be helping other people anyway. I'm very happy to be a nominee for the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards; it's a form of recognition and will also raise awareness about donating blood."