The final blood drive this year will be on March 7, to provide hospitals with the blood they need to help save patients’ lives.
There is a shortage of blood and I feel that it is a nice thing to do to donate blood for people in need,” Kristy Riley, student council sponsor, said.
At this event participants will be provided with snacks and water to help keep them on their feet, so all they need to do is show up.
“Have a good breakfast beforehand and go in with a positive attitude,” Riley said.
There are some requirements however that need to be met in addition to a positive attitude, such as weighing at least 110 lbs. For teenagers 16-18 there are also height requirements in relation to weight, which vary for males and females, and 16-year-olds need permission from a parent. If all the posted requirements are met, that student is a perfect candidate to help those in need.
“If you can, you should donate blood because you are doing it for people who can’t,” Safa Shabbir, junior, said.
She doesn’t meet the requirements to donate, but she feels that it is important for those that can to do so. They are not only donating for themselves, but for others as well.
“Just by going through a little bit of pain it could essentially save someone’s life,” Shabbir said.
The process involves an insertion of an IV and 15-30 minutes of the participant’s time for the donation and rest time afterward, with snacks provide. Not only does this process benefit the recipient, but there are benefits for the student donors as well.
According to an article written by the Chester County Hospital, “Blood donation helps you learn your blood type and Rh factor.”
The participant is also surrounded by volunteers who are trained and prepared for the task of drawing blood, so there is no need to fear that something will happen.
“Go in having confidence and know that they will take care of you no matter what,” Addison Curtis, senior, said.
A participant can trust that the volunteers at the blood drive are at their side during the entire process. The final benefit of donating during this drive is knowing that they assisted someone in need.
“It can be scary at first but once you do it you’ll feel better about yourself and know that you are giving back to those people that are struggling and not as fortunate as you are,” Amelia Perona, senior, said.