Students give blood, save lives

Students and faculty of Leesville made their way to the Auxiliary Gym to donate blood to the Red Cross on Oct. 6.

For most people, preparation involved drinking water and preparing mentally for the needle.

Many students shared a sense of fear during the process of the blood drive. Kelly Faria, senior,  stated, “The first time I donated I was terrified.” Faria was not the only individual who experienced terror during the donation process. A few individuals blacked out or vomited.

Many individuals sacrificed their precious time during the school day to give blood to those in need. Faria completed her second successful donation this year. “Everyone in my family donates and its just a good feeling knowing that you’ve just saved lives,” said Faria.

Nick Sauls, junior, took time out of his busy schedule to volunteer and provide support for donors. “I volunteered because I wanted to be a part of such a positive, uplifting experience,” said Sauls.

Many students volunteered and brought refreshments to donors and made sure they fully recovered before returning to class.

On the positive side of things, many lives were saved due to the bravery possessed by donors at Leesville. While 111 individuals showed up to the blood drive, only 96 were able to donate. Unfortunately, 15 of the individuals who wanted to contribute were not able to. A grand total of 90 units of blood were donated.

Catie Burn was one of the few sophomores who donated. “Honestly, I just wanted to save people. I’ve had a sick sibling before, so I know how valuable donating blood can be.”

Burn agrees with many of other students who said it felt “strange.” “It wasn’t really painful, it just felt weird,” said Burn. Preparation for Burn included eating a big breakfast and positive reassurance.

For most people it took about 15 to 20 minutes to complete a successful donation. Faria said, “It makes you really proud knowing you’ve overcome your fears and also the fact that you’ve helped people in the process.”