Blood drive proves everyone has a type

American Red Cross uses pre-examination rooms to ask donors about themselves. (Mackenzie Quinn/Lariat)

The American Red Cross strives to help people in need through the power of donors and volunteers. From Tuesday, Sept. 27 through Thursday, Sept. 29, Saddleback College partnered with the American Red Cross to provide students with a convenient location to donate their time and blood.

Karla Avila, 19, psychology major, dedicates her time to organizing volunteers for school events.

“We wanted to have people comfortable on campus,” said Avila. “The timing was just perfect, between finals and students settling in.”

Between students and faculty, Saddleback College managed to get 143 pints of blood. After the donation, pints of blood are then sent a facility to be tested and categorized. The blood is then deemed safe to be sent out for transfusions. Each pint of blood is donated to three different people. This means that overall, Saddleback College raised enough blood to support 429 blood transfusions.

American Red Cross packs the blood up after it has been donated to get it ready to ship to the lab. (Mackenzie Quinn/Lariat)

While this may seem like a large amount, Avila said she was hoping to target more students and that last spring they managed to get over 129 pints in only two days.

Every blood drive has its ups and downs. In fact Cole Peloquin, 19, nursing major, stated that nothing ever goes perfectly and that many times you just have to roll with the punches. However, he won’t let a few hiccups stop him from giving back.

“I just have a passion for health science”, said Peloquin. “Donating can make a world of difference” for those in need.

American Red Cross has an app for frequent donors called “Blood Donor.” Donors can download and track their blood through the process. The app also tells you your blood type and allows you to schedule an appointment as well as keep track of your donor history.

Associate Student Government strives to provide students with different opportunities in the community and outside of it as well. Both Avila and Peloquin stress how important it is to get out and help make a difference.

“You don’t have to wear a cape to be a hero,” said Avila.

“Many students try to go out and donate only to find out that they are unable to” said Peloquin, people should not let this stop them; instead these people should try and promote to those who are eligible to donate and petition for things that they think will help those in need.

“You don’t have to donate blood to make a difference,” said Peloquin. “Find your passion and work towards making changes you want to see.”

Both Avila and Peloquin dedicate their time to seeing Saddleback College and it’s students thrive. Avila works on finding and organizing volunteers for events, and can be reached at [email protected]. Peloquin works on directing and setting up events and can be reached at [email protected].

ASG is here to serve, said Avila, if students want to see something done we urge them to contact us.

Comments

comments