Blood Drive

The American Red Cross is holding its Blood Drive at Warren High School on March 19. It is open to any student older than 16 years of age. However, if you are 16, you must have parent consent to donate blood.Many students are excited to take part in this great organization. Warren High junior Irene Sinsombutcharoen, who is not only donating blood this year but has donated once before, said, "The wait was long, but worth it. It's very fulfilling because I'm saving three lives and contributing to a great organization." A donor needs to go through different stages before actually donating blood. The wait time varies depending on how many people are donating but it usually takes a couple of hours. Once entering the gym, one must check in with the supervisors and ASB members. From there on, they will provide you with food, such as Twinkies and water, to help build up energy. During the process, one must read a pamphlet regarding the blood donating procedures. It is very important to understand the terms of conditions and the physical side effects that will occur after donating blood. After reading, the student will be interviewed by the nurses on past health issues and other information that may affect one's ability to donate blood. Then, the donor needs to answer survey questions based on sexual and travel experiences. Finally, the student will be able to donate blood, which usually takes up to 10 minutes. Before donating, a student must know how to prepare themselves for the donation. The student should get at least eight hours of sleep before the donation. They should also eat a healthy breakfast that includes proteins, such as lean meat, cheese, and yogurt, and complex carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and fruit. It is also helpful to include iron-rich foods, such as red meat, fish, poultry, beans, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals, to your diet. A student donating blood should also drink a few extra glasses of water before donating. After donating blood, it is beneficial to drink more water to stay well-hydrated, which will decrease the chance of feeling dizzy and lightheaded. The blood drive is a great way to give back to the community. "I'm very excited to be helping out for such a great cause," says Warren High junior Gesabel Gutierrez. "It's great that our school is conveniently providing us with an opportunity to help those in need." Students who are healthy and are able to donate should definitely seize this opportunity. ********** Published: March 6, 2009 - Volume 7 - Issue 46