Sergeant (SGT) Chan Kwong-hing from Police Tactical Unit was presented with The Spirit of Hong Kong Award at a ceremony on October 8 for saving lives with his blood and bone marrow. It is the first time a Force member has won the award since the South China Morning Post started running the award scheme in 2013.

On hand to share SGT Chan's honour were his family, representatives from the Hong Kong Red Cross, Director of Personnel and Training Au Chi-kwong and Assistant Commissioner (Personnel) Lau Chi-wai.

The Hong Kong Red Cross nominated SGT Chan for the award for his staunch support for bone marrow and blood donations. Through on-line voting, SGT Chan won the "People's Choice Award" with the highest number of votes. At the award presentation, he thanked both the community and Force members for their support.

SGT Chan has donated bone marrow twice. He made the first donation for a female patient suffering from leukemia on Christmas Eve in 2004. He made the second donation when the patient relapsed in 2007.

Besides bone marrow, SGT Chan has had 256 blood donations to his credit. He not only encouraged his wife to follow suit, under his influence, his daughter has also become a regular blood donor. SGT Chan's son, who will turn 16 next year, will also follow in his father's footstep in blood donation - a shinning example of SGT Chan's "Spirit of Hong Kong" passing on to the next generation.

In recognition of the Force's long-term and active participation in blood donation, the Hong Kong Red Cross presented the "Special Merit Award" to the Force in 2013.