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Spotsy students save lives

Ally Hottle, Reporter
October 6, 2011
Filed under Knight Life, Top Stories

On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the American Red Cross visited Spotsylvania High School in high hopes of reaching their goal of 50 units of blood. Each student donating gave one pint of blood, which is equivalent to 1 unit. Students who volunteer to donate their blood were told to report to the auxiliary gym to begin their journey to save up to three lives each.

The American Red Cross is a life-saving association dedicated to collecting and donating blood to people in need all across the world. In order to do that, they need selfless volunteers who are willing to donate their blood. Each pint of blood that is donated saves not only one life, but up to three.

To be eligible to donate blood one must be healthy, meaning that you feel well and can perform normal activities. You must also be at least 17 years old in most states, or 16 years old with parental consent if allowed by state law. In addition, you must weigh at least 110 pounds. If you are deferred from giving blood it could be because you don’t meet the listed requirements.

Deferral can be for other reasons as well, such as low hemoglobin, cold, flu or other illness symptoms, or if you’re on certain medications that can interfere with the healthiness of your blood.

Being deferred from giving blood doesn’t mean you should give up trying to save lives; you can work with the association in different ways to achieve their goals.

Donors are advised to maintain a healthy iron level in their diet before the day of the donation. Eating iron rich foods, such as spinach, red meat, fish, poultry, iron-fortified cereals, raisins, and beans are among the many foods that can help your donation go successfully. Avoid fatty foods like hamburgers, fries, and ice cream before donating. Getting a good night’s sleep and drinking an extra 16 ounces of water is also recommended. After the donation you should still continue to hydrate throughout the day and try not to overexert yourself.

Senior Garrett Robinson was one of the many students at Spotsy that gave blood. Before his donation he was excited to be able to donate to this wonderful cause. Like most students at Spotsy, it was his first time donating; so, it wasn’t unusual for him and others to get nervous when the time ticked closer to donating.

Kaitlyn Orris (2013) also gave blood on Tuesday and was slightly nervous, but she said, “The doctor taking my blood was so funny. He would joke around about something, keeping the mood light.”

After donating Orris and Robinson both said they felt great about themselves. “I feel really important. Someone out there needs my blood, and I’m happy to help them,” said Robinson.

The nurses that are a part of the Red Cross were very helpful to those who were nervous or had a fear of needles. Davis, a member of the Red Cross, crew was giving advice to students who were especially nervous about needles.

She said, “If you look at the needle going into your arm, you’re more susceptible to jerking away. It’s best to look away and take a deep breath; it’ll be over before you know it!”

Boggs was also giving advice to donators. He said, “The best way to prepare before donating is drinking a lot of water to make sure you’re completely hydrated.”

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