This year, over 2,000 patients are looking for blood donations for various illnesses and conditions. So, to help out, on Jan. 19, Cardozo High School held a blood drive to spread awareness and collect all types of blood donations.
Located in Cardozo’s trailers, the blood drive was a chairty event that both staff and students could attend—as long as they were of age and met the health requirements. The donated blood can help hospital patients, as the donated blood can help patients from cancer, illness, surgeries, and major injuries. By donating blood it can save a person’s life. Blood gives the body nutrients, oxygen, and takes away waste products in and out of the human body cells. To add on, red blood cells contains white blood cells and plasma.
Ms. Bonnie, a person who worked at the blood drive, shared information on how the blood drive is conducted.
“From start to finish, you have to come with your I.D. and have eaten and have something to drink, be hydrated so you can feel good,” she said.
“You have to fill out a concussion form on the computer, then after that stuff, you’ll have a medical assessment done where we’ll take your vitals. And if you meet all the criteria with that then we’ll move on to the next where we actually draw your blood and you donate a kind of blood. After that we have a refreshment area, we want you to stay and have snacks, and juices,” she explained further.
While organizing the blood drive can be challenging, Ms. Bonnie said, “This job is very rewarding, we know at the end of the day when we go home that we just helped save people’s lives and did something very good to the community.”
“And, for a first time donor we try make them a positive experience so they can keep coming back and tell their friends how great donating blood is and how good it is for you and for other people,” she reflected.
Haron Sooriyakumar attended the blood drive as a donor, and shared, “I donated blood because I really like helping people and I’m always wanted to donate blood since I was small age, but I’m finally eligible age-wise so I was really happy I can help save lives.”
And, fortunately, Sooriyakumar said the process was very easy. “It was really smooth, it wasn’t as long as I thought it would be like going through everything and the wait time as soon as I finished the check-in. They took me to a grant to donate, I think it was a calm process, everyone was really nice and it really helped out and made me feel comfortable.”
This year’s blood drive was a huge success at Cardozo High School, leaving a positive impact on the community.