MLHS to Donate Blood

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It’s that time of year again! No, not that one. It’s Mountain Lakes Annual School and Community Blood Drive!

For 17 years Mountain Lakes High School has hosted a community blood drive in association with Community Blood Services and sponsored by the MLHS student government. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 21st, the drive has been postponed until next week due to the never-ending winter. However, it will be held soon, and the drive’s success will depend on our participation.

So are you ready to give blood? Donating blood is a simple way to give back and help save lives.

MLHS nurse, Mrs. Luann Wojcik, is a veteran blood donor who says,“I think it is a really good experience for students to donate blood. You are being very civic minded by helping people in the community who need blood.” To ease your concerns, she, along with science teacher Mr. David Sica, tackled some of students’ most common questions below:

MRS. WOJCIK

How many donors do we usually get for the MLHS blood drive?

“Every year, this is our 17th year doing this, we’ve seen a little bit less participation in our blood drive. We usually would like to get about 40 people to donate.”

How does the blood donation process work?

“When you come to the blood drive you need to fill out a registration form and you need to bring a photo ID. Then you get interviewed by someone who works at the blood drive. They ask you all kinds of questions about your health history like what kind of medications you take etc. They check your temperature, hemoglobin levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure to make sure that you are physically fit to donate. They are very careful about the screening process for who they will accept as a potential donor.”

How long does a blood donation take?

“The whole process usually takes about an hour. We always tell everybody that they have to eat and drink all day long in preparation for a safe donation.”

How long does it take to replenish the pint of blood donated?

“Well, it usually takes about 24-48 hours to replenish the blood donated but you can only donate once every 8 weeks.”

Is it safe to give blood?

“It is absolutely safe. All of the equipment used is completely sterile and clean. It is important to stay after a while and eat the snacks provided in order to replenish the body. We encourage you to eat and drink as much as possible afterwards!”

What is the blood used for after it is donated?

“It is used for the many people who are in need of blood. There are always people in the hospitals that are in need of blood transfusions, whether it is for a special condition, an accident, or cancer. Blood is always in high demand.”

How old do you have to be to donate blood?

“18 year olds can donate without parental consent, however, it is still important to notify your parents. If you are 16-17 years old you can still donate as long as you have a written consent form from your parents in advance. I always say that you should come with other people. Don’t just come alone. Bring a parent, bring a friend, bring a sibling so that you are all there to support each other while you are donating.”

MR. SICA

Why did you donate blood?

“Everybody in the world is going to need blood at some point in their life. You never know when you are going be in need, so you can only hope that other people would donate to help you.”

How much water should you usually drink?

“The day before I take in my daily water amount, on average I drink at least 8 glasses of water. I make sure to eat a good meal prior to going because donating can make you feel weak so having something in your system is always a good idea.”

Do the needles hurt?

“There is a little bit of a pinch but once it goes in you don’t feel it anymore. Before you know it, it’s over in about 10 minutes.”

What kinds of snacks do they usually have?

“They usually have cookies or granola bars. They have all different types of drinks, waters, fruit juices. Sometimes donuts, but that’s not high on my list.”

Why do you think it is important to donate blood?

It is very important because as of right now we do not have any artificial way to make blood for people to intake. When your in need of blood there is only one way to really get it, and that’s through donors.