The annual Red Cross Blood Drive at Manual will take place in the large gym’s lobby from 8 am to 2 pm on Thursday, Jan. 30. If you are 16, you must have a signed Red Cross parental/guardian consent form to donate.
Sign-ups will be this Monday, Jan. 27, and Tuesday, Jan. 28, during lunches in the Senior Cafeteria. The blood drive is partnered with the Red Cross High School Leadership Program, which provides opportunities for scholarships and special recognition.
Donors of 18 years of age or younger must meet slightly different criteria than older donors. Boys who are shorter than 5’ and girls who are shorter than 5’6” must weigh more than 110 pounds, depending on their height. A full list of all eligibility requirements can be found here.
Jocelyn Porter (12) is an intern at Red Cross and encourages the student body to donate at the drive.
“One pint of blood can save three lives,” Porter said. “It’s an important way to help people and it’s an easy thing to do.”
Porter’s biggest piece of advice was to make sure to eat before donating blood.
Other advice offered by the Red Cross includes the following:
- Hydrate
- Wear something comfortable
- Maintain a healthy level of iron in your diet before donating
- Bring a list of medications you are taking
- Bring an ID
To learn more about the donation process, click here.
To learn more about blood, and what happens to it after being donated, click here.
