Blood donations help patients of all needs from cancer treatment, to orthopedic and cardiovascular surgeries, to treating inherited blood disorders, an array of medical issues require blood donations, yet of the 37% of the population that is eligible to donate blood, only about 5% actually do, according to Redcross.org.

There is a constant need for regular blood supply because blood can be stored for only a limited time before use. Regular blood donations by a sufficient number of healthy people are needed to ensure that safe blood will be available whenever and wherever it is needed.

Recognizing the constant need for blood, Many students and teachers decided to participate in the blood drive as a way to not only appreciate their own health, but to quite literally share their own health with others in need.

Students were quite eager to participate in the drive as well, Katie Shirley, junior said “I wanted to donate blood because it felt good to give back to someone in need.”

Teachers also took time from their packed schedules to help save lives. Kaitlin Nelson, math teacher, donated during her prep hour. “Some of the student council members asked me. I donated blood in high school and just wanted to help out in any way I could,” Nelson said.