15-05-2025
Rh17 donor hailed hero after rare blood type sent to KL for ectopic pregnancy surgery
The blood bank said those with the rare Rh17 blood type such as the patient's can only accept the same blood type. – Photo from Facebook/Blood Bank Hospital Umum Sarawak
KUCHING (May 15): A woman in Kuala Lumpur urgently requiring surgery for an ectopic pregnancy received help from hundreds of kilometres away thanks a donor here with her rare blood type.
The Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) Blood Bank said donor Vencent Voon Sin Thung, who possesses the same rare Rh17 blood type as the patient, who requires a transfusion during surgery.
'The patient has Rh17 blood, which is rarely found among the Malaysian population.
'Individuals like her can only receive blood from donors with the same blood type. This is because receiving blood from a different donor group can cause an acute blood reaction, which may endanger the patient's life,' the blood bank said in a Facebook post.
It said Voon's blood was transported by cargo plane to Kuala Lumpur for the patient.
'We pray for the patient's safety and speedy recovery.
'On behalf of the patient, we express our heartfelt thanks to our hero Mr Vencent Voon Sin Thung.'
The blood bank also explained that Rh17, also known as -D-/-D-, is considered rare because it lacks C/c and E/e antigens in red blood cells due to the inactivation of the RHCE gene.
'The RHCE gene may also be partially inactivated and is especially found among individuals of Caucasian descent, whose parents may be first cousins or distant relatives.
'Rare blood types can vary between countries depending on geographical population and specific ethnic groups.
'While Rh17 is rarely found among the general Malaysian population, in Sarawak, it is found in a small number of the Bidayuh community,' it said.
It said individuals with the Rh17 blood group can produce anti-Rh17 antibodies following immune stimulation, such as during pregnancy or a blood transfusion.
'As such, these individuals can only receive blood from donors with the same Rh17 blood group if they need a transfusion.'
The blood bank said one of the ways to identify those with rare blood-types is when they join donation drives.
'We will conduct blood group and phenotype testing and among the rare phenotypes are Rhesus negative, R2R2, JK3 (Jka-b-), Rh17, Ind b-, Rh null, Bombay, Parabombay, and many others.
'All donor data will be stored in the Rare Blood Registry to ensure quick response during emergencies.'
The blood bank said if a donor is found to have a rare blood type, it will reach out to them and their close family members to undergo the same tests to determine whether they share the same rare blood type.
'This is why we always encourage the public, especially the youths, to become regular blood donors,' it added.
