Broomfield High School’s Spring Blood Drive
May 15, 2017
Broomfield High School’s spring blood drive is here! On May 4th from 10:00am to 4:30pm, the blood drive will be happening.
For those who decide to participate there are a few things you need to look into before you get your blood drawn. First, you must be 17 or older and and weigh at least 110 pounds. Make sure you are well hydrated – this is the most important; wear something comfortable; if you are taking any medications make sure to let the people drawing your blood know; do not forget an ID; and be relaxed. There is nothing to worry about and it will all be over in a matter of minutes.
Getting your blood drawn is a simple process that only requires a few minutes out of your day. The first thing you are going to do is sign a registration form that lets the staff and volunteers know that you are in fact eligible to have your blood drawn. After registration, the staff will ask you about your health history and a short mini-physical. This is to find out if there might be something the staff needs to be aware about before they draw blood. The next step is the actual blood-drawing procedure. The staff will swab your arm with alcohol and then stick the needle in your arm. If you’re worried about pain, there is no need to worry. The needle feels like a pinch and that is it! The donation itself only takes around ten minutes. After your blood is drawn, you’ll be given a snack and a drink and asked to stick around for 10-15 minutes just as precautionary measure. Once you are done with the donation, it is important to keep hydrating and avoid strenuous exercise if possible.
Drawing blood can be very beneficial. For starters, it can help somebody in need of blood. It also can be used as free health check-up. Before you get your blood drawn you will be asked a series of questions and your blood pressure will be taken. On top of this, before your blood is given to somebody else it will be sent to a lab that will run tests on it making sure the blood is clean and void of unknown complications. If your blood shows signs of possible disease or infections after being tested, you will be notified.
Those who wish to participate need to fill out the form that can be found by clicking on this link: https://donors.bonfils.org. Make sure you’re eligible. Get out there. Donate your blood and save a life!
Hannah Tripp • May 17, 2017 at 11:40 pm
Thanks for covering this blood drive! As the blood drive coordinator for the last two years, I wanted to share some corrected information with you:
-While it is essential donors be extremely well-hydrated before and after a donation, it’s important that the donor also eats at least 1-3 hours before donating, and eat soon after.
– Donors have to be 16 or older. Only minors must have a consent form signed by a parent.
-The whole process, check-in to end of donation, can last up to an 1-2 hours
-Every unit of blood collected can save up to three lives!
-Donors who are sick within two weeks before donation are not eligible. If a donor becomes sick within two weeks after donating, they must call Bonfils so appropriate measures can happen.
-Blood donations should NOT be viewed as a free health checkup. While Bonfils does test all donated blood for any blood borne diseases and illnesses, hemoglobin levels, as well as a new test of iron levels, they do not check for the benefit of who is donating. Bonfils will report your blood type after the first donation and will inform you if you are ineligible to donate in the future because of the reasons above, but they actually discourage people using it as free testing. This is because many people abuse this part of blood donation as a way to be tested for diseases such as HIV. The questions answered prior to donation is to determine eligibility.
Students are always able to donate at a Bonfils center and not just at a blood drive.
NHS hosts two blood drives a year! Donation times are open to parents, students, and community members This year we collected 50 units of blood at the Spring drive, which is the most ever collected in a single drive at BHS. Between both the Fall and Spring blood drives, the number of units collected also broke the yearly school record.
Thanks once again for covering this!