Lives were saved when various students donated blood last Thursday and Friday. While cadets hosted the drive, South Texas Blood and Tissue Center buses crowded the JROTC practice grounds. The YNOT program, STBTC’s high school campaign, helped represent the drive. Overall, 202 people donated blood: 93 on Thursday and 109 on Friday.
Volunteers at least 16 years old, were dismissed from class to give blood. Donors were screened by medical professionals to ensure they were able to participate.
The normal donation process drains one pint of blood from the donor. Some choose the dual donation, two pints, which is about one fifth of the average human’s blood content. Those who doubled up received a saline solution to replace the volume donated.
The JROTC advertised the cause during all lunches. They “busted out” the famous blood drop costume and accepted as many eligible donors as they could.
To try and picture all the blood that left campus on Friday would just be gross. Some people passed out while donating, but everyone walked away alive and proud.
