HOSA hosts Carter Bloodcare Drive Wednesday

HOSA+is+hosting+its+annual+Blood+Drive+sponsored+by+Carter+BloodCare+this+Wednesday+near+the+auditorium+doors+from+8%3A30-3%3A30+PM.

Caroline Caruso

HOSA is hosting its annual Blood Drive sponsored by Carter BloodCare this Wednesday near the auditorium doors from 8:30-3:30 PM.

Caroline Caruso, Managing Editor

HOSA is ushering students in and out of the building on Wednesday as the Carter Bloodcare Drive takes place outside the auditorium from 8:30-3:30 p.m. 

After giving blood, donors will receive COVID-19 Antibody Testing, blood typing, as well as two service hours. 

1 pint of blood can save up to three lives,” HOSA public relations officer, junior Stephanie Chung said. “I cherish the value of helping our community and ensuring the well-being of the members of society. This is also one of the core values of HOSA. There are so many people around us who desperately need blood to live. Blood is always needed for the treatment of accident victims, cancer patients, hemophiliacs, surgery patients, and many more.”

Carter Bloodcare has struggled to get donations during the pandemic, due to social distancing precautions and other limitations. 

“Due to the limitations on Carter Blood Care staff and the amount of people that are allowed to donate, we were only able to get 35 spots available for people to donate, and they must sign up online to do so,” HOSA Vice President Praneeth Akkineni said via email. “In previous years, we were able to have hundreds of donors apply to give blood, and would collect somewhere in the area of 75 pints of blood each drive. Now, the goal is 23 pints of blood that we hope our donors can provide to Carter Blood Care.”

However, Chung believes this gives all the more reason for students to become donors, even if they have to apply to a bank in their free time. 

“The COVID 19 pandemic has pushed the blood supplies to the brink due to less blood drive taking place,” she said. “Hence, to fill this exacerbated shortage of blood, we, the students, also need to help as much as we can to supply blood to people who are in need.”

In the eyes of first-time donor Grace Deshetler, giving blood is an experience she would never take back. 

“I decided to donate blood because I thought that if I was able to, there was no reason why I shouldn’t,” Deshetler said. “I do encourage other people to donate blood. It doesn’t hurt at all, and people out there really need it so an hour out of your day could be lifesaving for someone else.”

For club sponsor Laura Stubblefield, being able to host the annual event provides a multitude of experiences for her students as well as herself. 

I feel like the blood drive is important because it gives our students, faculty, and community members direct access to a way they can help others by simply giving their blood,” she said. “Especially now, when the COVID pandemic shut down regular drives, the national blood supply is severely depleted and needs replenishing as fast as possible. Since HOSA is a medically-focused organization, we feel proud to host the drive every year and hope that it gives not only our members, but anyone who attends the drive a new experience with the medical field that may drive them to continue donating blood and helping the healthcare community in the future.”