The blood cell separator hummed steadily in the collection room of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University on December 11, 2025.
On the hospital bed, Yuan Jiaojiao, an employee of the Power Plant at the Coal-to-Liquids Branch of CHN Energy Ningxia Coal Industry (hereinafter referred to as “Ningxia Coal”), remained calm. Bright red blood flowed from her arm, slowly passing through the tubes of the separator. More than five hours later, this warm “seed of life” was carefully sealed and immediately dispatched to a stranger suffering from a blood disorder.
Yuan Jiaojiao is donating hematopoietic stem cells
“It’s just an ordinary act of kindness,” Yuan said.
Yet this “ordinary” act marked the 21,711th donation recorded in the China Marrow Donor Program, the 167th in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and the ninth completed by Ningxia Coal over the past seven years. With a tissue-matching probability of just one in 100,000, the company, whose workforce accounts for less than 0.6 percent of Ningxia’s population, has set a regional record among enterprises for the highest number of stem cell donors.
Yuan’s journey of compassion began in 2020, when she left a blood sample during a company-organized voluntary blood donation drive and registered as a donor. Five years later, in September, when she received a call from the Red Cross informing her of a successful match, she did not hesitate.
Challenges awaited at home. Her husband worked long hours in Wuzhong, another city in Ningxia, leaving early and returning late, while their young daughter needed care. On the eve of her departure, Yuan held her daughter close and gently explained, “Mom is going to help a sick auntie fight a ‘monster.’” The child nodded with wide eyes. “Mom, I told my classmates you’re going to save someone. My teacher said you’re a hero. I’ll wait for you to come home safely.”
To meet the donation requirements, Yuan strictly adjusted her diet and daily routine and maintained regular exercise. All her health indicators met the standards.
This relay of love began seven years ago.
In January 2019, Li Jian from Shuangma Coal Mine completed Ningxia Coal’s first unrelated stem cell donation. He said he understood the anxiety of patients’ families: “To save a life is to preserve a family’s hope.” Unexpectedly, in June that same year, the Red Cross called again—the recipient’s condition had relapsed and urgently required a second donation. Just two weeks later, Li once again set off for Beijing.
Acts of kindness never stand alone. In August 2019, nearly 50-year-old Party member Gong Changdong from Hongshiwan Coal Mine traveled to Xi’an to donate. In October, Sheng Yanwen from the Coal-to-Liquids Company responded to a question about fear with a shy smile: “Knowing that a life is waiting for me, I feel more honored than afraid.” In December, Cheng Yujun from Yangchangwan Coal Mine became the fourth donor of the year, simply saying, “Anyone in my place would do the same.”
The relay has never stopped. In May 2020, Yang Bin from Hongliu Coal Mine donated, saying, “As a father, I want to set an example for my child.” In May 2021, Teng Renchong from Zaoquan Coal Mine traveled to Xi’an, embodying the meaning of “benevolence” in his name through action. In December 2023, Jing Chengshan from Qingshuiying Coal Mine completed his donation.
Seven years, nine donations. Staff at the Yinchuan Red Cross remarked, “For one enterprise to have eight employees successfully complete donations, with none withdrawing midway, is truly remarkable.”
This profound love is no coincidence. Over the years, Ningxia Coal has closely integrated corporate development with social responsibility. The Lighting Up Small Wishes initiative has fulfilled the dreams of 245 underprivileged youths. The Angel’s Heartbeat charity program safeguards the health of employees’ children. Visits, scholarships and community assistance programs have brought warmth to rural and urban neighborhoods alike. Among voluntary blood donors, Bai Jianli from the Coal Preparation Center received the National Lifetime Honor Award for Voluntary Blood Donation, while Shicao Village Coal Mine earned the National Special Award for Promoting Voluntary Blood Donation.
From Li Jian’s steadfast resolve in making two donations to Yuan Jiaojiao’s patient five-year wait; from veteran Party members remaining true to their original aspiration to younger generations carrying the torch forward—when dedication, friendship and mutual support become part of a company’s lifeblood, they gather into a powerful force for good.
Seven years of steadfast commitment, a relay bound by marrow and destiny. With quiet yet fervent actions, these Ningxia Coal employees have kindled the light of rebirth for unfamiliar families in the depth of winter, adding the warmest footnote to what has become known as the Ningxia Coal Phenomenon.
