Students 16 and above can donate blood Oct. 24th from 6 am to 3 pm in the small gym at Tigard High School to help Red Cross fill up the blood bank.
If you are 16 and have parents permission, or older, male or female, Oct 24th is your day to do something good! If you are a guy you may donate if you are 4’10’’ or taller and 110 pounds or more. If you are a girl you must be 5’1’’ or taller and weigh 110 pounds or more. if you are shorter than 5’1’’ you may still be eligible to donate, you just have to call 866-236-3276 to ask about your eligibility.
There are many things to take into consideration before donating. You must think that there is someone in the world who needs the blood, and by helping this person out, though you may never know who he or she is, you will get the satisfaction of helping a person in need. You may also consider that Red Cross does stick a needle in your arm. Senior Cody Blackwell, a first time donor, wanted to donate because his sister got a blood transfusion. When asked what he was most nervous about, Blackwell replied, “needles.” Although Blackwell wanted to donate, he was unable to because of a trip to Honduras he took in March.
Some students may experience slight reactions (e.g. faintness, dizziness, weakness) but these can be avoided by eating a healthy breakfast and drinking lots of water before your donation. After your donation it is important that you should replenish fluids and sugars and you must not engage in any strenuous sports for at least five hours. and the final thing to consider is that students get to miss class to donate. In asking Junior Becca Blood why she is donating she replied “to get out of class”. “it is a good opportunity to help someone!” this is what Junior Becca Blood has to say to people who are not donating this year.
This is Francis Caro’s 6th year volunteering as National Honors Society adviser. “Keeping a stocked blood bank is critical for those in need,” said Caro. The reason it is being held at Tigard High School is because high schools in the Pacific northwest account for nearly 20 percent of overall donations. High schools have a lot of students, and students tend to want to help their community and this is a great time to help your community and more!
For those of you who don’t know why to donate, here is an explanation from Mathew Daphne, Communications Manager at American Red Cross “Because blood is medicine for injured and ill hospital patients, blood cannot be manufactured and we rely on the generosity of the American Public to donate.”
“Plus, high school students get out of class to go donate,” said junior Kodi Nelson who has donated in the past and when asked if he was donating blood this year replied “Sure!” he explaines that he believes its a good cause.