By According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood.
Donating one pint of blood merely shows a person’s compassion for others. It is a simple act that takes less than an hour but can save someone’s life. The Red Cross organization was founded in 1881. Most people know what their logo means: The Red Cross symbolizes aid.
There was a recent blood drive on Carroll’s Campus on January 29-30.
“Giving blood means saving lives,” said Darla Fisher, a donor from January’s blood drive. “My husband is a leukemia survivor and he went through several blood transfusions, so I do it because he was blessed from other people’s blood donations.”
Every contribution has the power to change someone’s life. The demand for blood is constant. There are often seasonal shortages and in the event of an emergency such as COVID-19, it is always important to have consistent donations. With the recent fires in southern California, lots of buildings were burnt down and there was a significant loss of blood donations.
The Red Cross staff ensures that the blood is safe and secure. The staff makes sure that there is nothing that could deem the blood unsafe with a brief questionnaire beforehand and has very specific storage methods. Everyone is encouraged to donate blood no matter what blood type you have.
“You can save up to three lives with one transfusion,” said one Red Cross staff member from the blood drive.
Fortunately, the Red Cross has many locations all over town and on Carroll’s campus. Scheduling an appointment is very easy to do online, but they also often take walk-ins. All blood drives also provide snacks and often have a small thank-you gift such as a pair of socks or a blood drive T-shirt.
The next blood drive on campus is on Feb. 25-26. Consider what giving can truly mean to someone. Only about 3% of eligible people donate blood yearly.
https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/how-blood-donations-help.html
