In the medical field, blood is treasured by doctors and nurses alike, with donations able to save up to three people. According to American Blood Centers, local blood storages have only a two-three day supply, making supply volatile and risky. Blood drives are one popular method of gathering life-saving blood, uniting communities to save lives. On Tuesday, November 22nd, Fremd will be hosting its bi-annual blood drive in the South Gym, organized by the Student Council, starting at 7 A.M.

Throughout the school day, students can volunteer to donate blood, provided they are over 16 years old and meet the weight/height requirements, along with a parental consent form. The signup process is fairly simple, with students able to volunteer through various QR codes posted in the school cafeteria and the Fremd TVs. In Wellness classes this week, the blood drive will also be promoted in detail with signup sheets. Teachers can also contribute to donating blood, using their free periods to come down.

Student Council sponsor Mr. Hopkins explains the Fremd partnership with blood bank, Versiti.

“Versiti is a blood bank that comes in and looks for donations every year, providing for Northwestern medical centers,” Hopkins said. “They also host a competition between [Fremd] and Palatine, acknowledging the cross-town rivalry, and providing trophies to the winner.”

Last year, Fremd brought home the trophy both times against Palatine and wants to add another to its collection. Along with Versiti, Fremd also provides incentives for donating as donors are eligible for a raffle, where various prizes are given out.

Hopkins also details the difference between various blood types and their effect on transfusions.

“They’re accepting donations for every blood type, but there are certain blood types in higher demand,” Hopkins said. “We like O negative because it’s the universal donor, along with A negative and B negative, but they still encourage everyone to come out.”

With the universal donor being prioritized and available to everyone in transfusions with no adverse reactions, O-negative blood has a similarly large demand. While blood type may contribute to blood accessibility, Versiti will always find a way to incorporate blood, no matter how common or rare.

No matter the circumstance, the action of saving lives brings people together. Small in size, a blood donation may seem minuscule, but the saved lives will be permanent. While students may never know where their blood goes or if their blood gets put to use, the value of a life saved is priceless.

Hopkins summarizes the event as essential and relevant for the high school demographic, encouraging students to contribute.

“As a community, one of the biggest [donors] are high school students, being young and healthy,” Hopkins said. “These [students] can help many people and save so many lives in need.”

For more information, please visit the Fremd Student Council Blood Drive link tree:

https://linktr.ee/fremd_stuco

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