Maura Sanchez giving blood.

For an opportunity to contribute to a blood drive goal of collecting 100 pints of blood, as well as be a part of the Central California Blood Center’s effort to meet the daily demanded 300 pint quota, students are flocking to the Granite Hills mini gym on December 5. The Associated Student Body is conducting its biannual blood drive under the advisory of Rebecca Chavez. The blood drive goal for this event is to have a successfully increased turnout of donors as compared to the previous years. This will be accounted for in a statewide comparison of schools’ percentage increase of net pints drawn, known as the Blood Bowl.

Farmersville High School was the most successful in attaining that recognition last year, with their dramatic increase of blood drawn from having a second blood drive, whereas they formerly held one per year.

Granite Hills is also in the running to collect the most annually accumulated blood amongst the Porterville area high schools, Monache and Porterville, which is known as the Red Bowl. Porterville has been in the lead with an average of 180- 200, for the past several years.

South Valley Donor recruiter for CCBC, Laurie Dieterich explained that she has an active role as a recruiter, both in maintaining blood drives amongst the existing participating schools and encouraging others to contribute as well. “How often [blood drives are held] really depends on the schools,” she said, while adding that among the 31 hospitals in 5 counties that the CCBC supports, there is a consistent and crucial demand for blood. “[Blood drives are] a huge part of the blood that we bring in, especially this time of year,” where vacations and holidays can be the product of a decreased amount of regular donors.

The five counties supported by CCBC, which are Madera, Mariposa, Fresno, Tulare and Kings, have a steady demand for blood with conditions to aid, such as Leukemia, bone marrow and organ transplants, severe injuries -most commonly car accidents- and various diseases.
“There are so many different reasons people need blood transfusions. Not everyone realizes that blood is used for all these different [conditions]. Without a blood transfusion, in certain situations, [a patient] wouldn’t even have a chance to survive,” said Dieterich. “In some cases it is an absolute miracle cure,” she said.

The blood drives entail that all donors meet specific requirements that include being at least 17 years of age, weighing a minimum of 110 lbs, containing a sufficient amount of iron and having a healthy medical record. An eligibility screening will take place before donations are given.

Dieterich said, “It’s not so much whether or not [participants] can give blood. Even if they can’t, they can still advocate,” the cause by encouraging their peers to donate. She added that “there’s no substitute for blood,” and that an abundance of donors will be highly beneficial to the CCBC cause. Dietrich said, “Around Christmas it gets really hard,” to collect as much blood as is needed, where most Blood Drives take place during the Spring.

Senior, Andy Wiggins, who will be a first time donor, was surprised to find out how much blood is needed daily. “It makes me feel good,” Wiggins said, to be a part of a function that makes such a significant difference in the CCBC’s endeavor to meet the blood demand.

Sabrina Hernandez is another Granite Hills senior willing to donate blood for this event, as she sympathizes with the patients who desperately need blood. Upon learning that blood is needed at such a high rate in order to give those patients a chance for survival, she said, “It makes me feel good knowing I can do something about it, giving blood and being able to help out.”

“It’s interesting just knowing that you’re helping somebody by saving their life,” stated Norma Jarrett, who is a registered nurse for the CCBC. Jarrett said that blood drives are being held on a daily basis of the schools in all five counties that the CCBC supports and other businesses and hospitals. What makes a significant difference in the success of blood drives is “how well the schools promote them,” according to Jarrett. She added that it is important for blood drive organizers to advocate the cause actively, in order to make their function as effective as possible.