Kearns High Blood Drive

American+Red+Cross+at+Kearns+High+School.

American Red Cross at Kearns High School.

Aida Salas Carmona

Wednesday, September 8th was the Blood Drive held at Kearns High School. In the U.S every 2 seconds, someone needs blood or platelets. How do these blood donations help? Donors who donate blood help patients of any age. Anyone can suffer from burns, car accidents, heart surgerys, those battling cancer etc. Whole blood donations can help any of these patients. Whole blood is the blood that runs through your veins. Red cells, white cells, and platelets are in this blood. When separated, these donations help save the lives of children and adults.
How are platelets donated? When you are only donating platelets, blood is drawn from your arm into a machine. Other blood components and platelets are separated, the blood components are then given back through your other arm. This process repeats multiple times. One donor can give up to five whole blood donations. This can help at least three people.
Platelets are colorless, small cell fragments in our blood that form clots and prevent bleeding. Low platelets can be caused by autoimmune diseases, certain medicines, infections or other conditions. It’s also caused when a person’s bone marrow is damaged and can not make enough of it’s own. S the blood that runs through your veins. Red cells, white cells, and platelets run in this blood. When separated these donations help save
Misty L. Morrow a health sciences instructor, HOSA advisor/Emergency Coordinator at Kearns High. She schedules and prepares the drive.
“All students who choose to participate and donate blood must be 16 or older, they must also have a signed permission slip form from a parent or guardian. Those who choose to donate must sign up for a donation time online. Donors should show up a couple minutes prior to the donation time they scheduled. Donors should not be sick and if donated blood before should be after eight weeks from last blood donation.”
Who are the ones that draw the blood? Phlebotomists from the American Red Cross are the ones who draw blood from donors. There are usually 5-6 phlebotomists.
All blood given by donors is donated to the American Red Cross, where it is processed. It goes to those individuals in need in Utah or Idaho.
The blood drives Kearns High hosts are open to anyone in the valley who would like to come and donate, this includes students, staff at the high school and community members. These blood drives are held five times per year at the high school. The drives generally happen in September, November, January, March and May. Anyone is welcome to donate, so consider donating to someone in need.