On Friday, Feb. 28, from 7:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., a blood drive will be taking place on campus in the Assembly Hall! If you donate, you will receive a Red Cross t-shirt, a $15 e-gift card, and you can even earn Red & Gold points for your team. You can head to redcross.org and enter sponsor code ROSARY to sign up. Alyssa McCreary ‘25 stated, “I give blood because it’s a privilege to have a healthy working body that is able to help others. I also think it’s important to share that with those who may not be as blessed.”
According to redcrossblood.org, here are a few tips that may be helpful before your donation:
Stay hydrated! Drink an extra 16 oz. of water before your appointment.
Eat a healthy meal. It would be best to avoid fatty foods like hamburgers, fries or ice cream and prioritize iron-rich foods, such as red meat, fish, poultry, beans, spinach, iron-fortified cereals or raisins. Speaking from experience, I didn’t have the best experience last year giving blood due to not eating enough food, so this is your sign to prioritize this!
Wear a shirt with sleeves that you can roll up above your elbows.
Let the Red Cross volunteers know if you have a preferred arm or particular vein that has been used successfully in the past to draw blood.
Additionally, make sure you specify your team color at the door: Red or Gold. If someone is giving blood on your behalf, make sure they know what team you’re on so you get the points!
After your donation, here are a few things to remember:
Drink an extra four 8 oz. glasses of liquids.
Keep the strip bandage on for the next several hours; to avoid a skin rash, clean the area around the bandage with soap and water.
Don’t do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day.
If the needle site starts to bleed, apply pressure and raise your arm straight up for 5-10 minutes or until bleeding stops.
Call the Red Cross at 1-866-236-3276 to report any additional health information that you forgot to tell us, if you have any problems or if you needed medical care after giving blood.
If you experience dizziness or lightheadedness, stop what you’re doing and sit or lie down until you feel better; avoid performing any activity where fainting may lead to injury for at least 24 hours.
Continue to eat iron-rich foods.
If you donate frequently, be sure to take multivitamins with iron to ensure you continue to replenish your iron stores before your next donation.
Dr. Parmar, the teacher in charge of the blood drive, says, “The blood drive is a great way to serve the dear neighbor without distinction in a significant way. It’s an action that has such a great impact but is comparatively easy to do. For the most part, you just sit there, and yet each donation can save up to three lives. Anyone age 16 or older can participate. And if you’re not old enough or are not able to give blood for some other reason, consider asking one of your family members to donate on your behalf! Every donor will get a t-shirt, a $15 e-gift card, and can also earn Red and Gold points! So whether you donate or get someone (not another student) to donate for you, you can still earn points! More than that, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you made the world a little better for someone who really needed it.”
All Rosary students need a school permission slip, and students aged 16 also need a Red Cross permission slip. Forms can be picked up in any science classroom or the front office. Please return them to Dr. Parmar in room 3 ASAP. Royals, if you are able to, please consider giving blood. You’ll save lives and receive some goodies while doing it!
