NHS Blood Drive a Success

WAITSBURG-On March 12, Waitsburg High School's National Honor Society partnered with the American Red Cross to organize a blood drive at the school gym.

NHS students Sarah Daves, Sara Wilson, Hope Adkins, Karissa Potts, and Bea Karl signed in the registered donors and assisted advisor Shannon Schreindl at their second drive this school year.

Twenty-one donors contributed a total of twenty-five units of blood. Of these donors, 12 had type O blood, and four were first-time donors. One single blood donation can help save more than one life.

Some volunteers registered for Power Red donation, which uses an automated process to separate red blood cells from other blood components, returning plasma and platelets to the donor. Though the process takes about 30 minutes longer than a whole blood donation, it allows donors to give two units of red blood cells.

Power Red is available to type O-positive, O-negative, A-negative, and B-negative donors.   Male donors must be at least 17 years old, at least 5'1" tall, and weigh at least 130 pounds.  Female donors must be at least 19 years old, at least 5'3" tall, and weigh at least 150 pounds. 

Red cells from a Power Red donation are typically given to trauma patients, newborns, emergency transfusions during birth, people with sickle cell anemia, and anyone suffering from blood loss.

Whole-Blood donations take an hour, and the blood is frequently given to trauma patients and people undergoing surgery.

"It was a huge success to the point where we had to turn away some students, staff, and community members because it was so busy," said NHS advisor Schreindl.