Recovering from a car accident that happened nearly two weeks ago, 45-year-old Alim Mukhameclov from Uzbekistan still found it difficult to move his body. But he was able to raise his right hand slowly and give a thumbs-up to his doctor and those who donated blood that may have saved his life.

    Mukhameclov had his eye socket, nose, rib and legs broken in a car accident on March 13 in Rizhao, a city about 500 km from Yantai, in Shandong province. He was then taken to Yantaishan Hospital in Yantai.

    Doctors knew that Mukhameclov required immediate surgery, however there was not enough blood of his type - Rh A-negative - in stock. This blood type is so rare that only 0.3 percent of Chinese have it.

 Doctors check Alim Mukhameclov's X-ray. Ju Chuanjiang

    The Yantai Blood Center then began contacting donors on their list. The center also took out newspaper and Internet adds as part of its appeal. Many responded, however by the following morning only three were found to have the right blood type.

    When the blood-collecting car arrived at the office building of Muping Construction Bureau in Muping district, which is about 30 km from the central city, it is reported the first donor, Jiang Meibo, was already waiting in front of the building.

    One hour later, the Blood Center collected blood from the second donor, Han Leilei, a naval student of Navigation Engineering College. It was the second time that Han has donated blood this year. "To help another person is of utmost importance," Han told local media.

    The third donor, Wang Xiuqin, is a saleswoman at a local shopping center. "My blood type is quite special, it is my pleasure that I can help a foreign friend," she said.

    About 1.2 liters of Rh A-negative blood was collected and delivered to the hospital in three hours, which enabled the Uzbekistani patient to undergo surgery.

    According to Chen Xu, director of orthopedic traumatology department in Yantaishan Hospital, the surgery was successful and the patient will be discharged from the hospital in two weeks.

    "My father thinks the doctors and medical facilities here are excellent," says Mukhameclov's second daughter, Nargiza. "I want to thank the nice doctors and those who gave blood to my father."

    Upon hearing the news of her father's accident, the 18-year-old traveled to Yantai from Uzbekistan with her mother and uncle and arrived soon after the surgery was finished. Kabul Mukhameclov, Nargiza's uncle, was so thankful to the Chinese volunteers that he donated 200 cc of blood to Yantai Blood Center. "People here helped my brother. I'd like to do something for them in return," he says.

    Mukhameclov started his business in China in 1992. According to his daughter, he plans to buy a house in the city and bring his family and friends here on vacation.

    Although Enen Mukhameclov cannot speak Chinese, three of his four daughters are interested in learning the language. Nargiza has been studying Chinese for more than two years, including time at Lanzhou University, in Gansu province.

    "From this visit in China, I find myself liking the country even more. I will never forget the kind and obliging Yantai people," she says.