“Did you know? 150-200 donors are needed EVERY day for local hospitals to effectively service their patients, but only 2% of Hawaii’s population helps to make sure this happens. Why wouldn’t you want to help solve this critical problem?”
This fact can be found plastered around campus, listed on a flyer for Kaiser’s annual Blood Drive. This is an all-day event hosted by the Blood Bank of Hawaii, and encourages students and teachers alike to donate. From 7:15-2:30, the library will be hosting a licensed team from the BBH, who will draw blood from willing participants.
You can sign up for appointments via online registration; the link can be found on those same flyers.
The flyers are made by Kaiser’s own National Honor Society club, who are working with the Blood Bank of Hawaii to make sure the event runs smoothly. The NHS will not be drawing blood directly, but will be the primary force responsible for event technicalities. Appointments, logistics, and overall event support will be run by Kaiser students.
For anyone interested in donating, students must be 16 or older to be eligible for a blood donation, and minor students need their guardian’s consent to give blood. There’s also a height and weight requirement for female students to ensure donor safety.
Though it may seem odd to host a blood drive here, it comes from a critical need left unmet.
Vera Wang, committee chair for this year’s blood drive, explains that in Hawai’i alone, “nearly 60% of residents will need blood at some point, but only about 2% of the population donates. Each day, around 200 donors are needed, and it can be difficult to reach those numbers. Additionally, blood cannot be produced in a lab—there are no substitutes.” Without blood, patients don’t get the blood they need, from ambulances or hospitals.
In other words, the only statewide source of blood comes from volunteer effort. Every donation goes a long way.
After being drawn, blood is sent to laboratories across the island. From there, “blood is typically separated into three distinct components: red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. A single donation can help save up to three lives!”
The current goal for this year’s blood drive is to reach 100 donations. Blood is desperately needed, every day, and in every hospital. Even if you may not want to contribute, spreading awareness of the event can lead to more lives saved.
