Another Successful Blood Drive

Academy hosts two Blood Drives each year, one in the fall and one in the spring, and it is organized by the Interact Club. Each year, the club tries to get as many students to donate as possible.

Giving blood is voluntary, and there is always a need for more. Donating takes about 20 minutes total, and it can save up to three lives. About 5 million blood transfusions take place each year, but less than 10% of eligible donors actually donate. Blood is needed for many diseases and operations, such as sickle cell disease, cancer treatments, and open heart surgery.

There are four main blood cell types, discovered by Dr. Karl Landsteiner in 1901: A, B, AB, and O. Each can be positive or negative. Type AB blood is the universal acceptor (meaning a patient with AB blood can receive any of the other blood types) and O negative is the universal donor (any blood type can receive O negative blood). One unit of blood contains red blood cells, plasma, and platelets, all of which can be separated and donated.

Donors are eligible to give blood every 56 days, and make up the blood lost within three days.

“I donated because I realized how important it was to do what I can for those who need blood donations. There are so many people out there who need blood, and since I’m eligible, I thought, why not?” says Elise Favret (’22).