Donations save lives
MdCV welcomes community to donate blood
by Maggie Hall, senior
October 18, 2011
On Wednesday, October 26, the Student Council at Marais des Cygnes Valley High School welcomes students, faculty, and the community, to save lives by donating blood. The Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City -- a blood bank where local citizens can choose to donate blood which will be used in hospitals for those with life-threatening emergencies -- will be here from 2 to 6 p.m.
To donate, people will have to meet a certain criteria to ensure both the donor’s and recipient’s safety. The main requirements are that the donor be at least 16 years of age and weigh a minimum of 115 pounds. Those who are 16 years old are required to have a form signed by a parent or guardian. A background check of health history will be done to each potential donor, and those who meet it will donate about one pint of blood. Photo I.D. and proof of age are required materials for all donors.
Donating blood can be quick and painless if a donor prepares correctly. Before donating, it is essential to be hydrated, rested and well fed. Doing this will help a donor to avoid light-headedness or being dizzy.
Deborah Stukey, MdCV’s guidance counselor and a three-time blood donor, said, “I would just encourage everyone to do it – it’s simple and pretty quick and Blood Center staff are very good at what they do, so you shouldn’t worry about the needle stick thing.”
Some students, such as senior Dakota Willingham, are ready to donate because of loved ones in need. Other students, however, say they don’t want to donate blood. For example, because the 26th is the last day of football practice before a big game against the Lebo Wolves, Shane Jackson, starting quarterback of MdCV’s varsity football team, said, “If we give blood, we will miss the practice the day before the game, which will most likely be our last practice."
Reasons to donate blood include:
• Human blood can not be substituted
• More than 60% of the population can donate
• Only 5-6% of those that can, do
• Blood has a short shelf life, about 42 days
• Someone has a blood transfusion every 4 minutes
• Those with Type O blood have the universal blood type
