Why You Should Donate Blood
Donating blood is cool. That’s the official campaign of the American Red Cross, hoping to increase donations from teens and young adults. My Mom shared with me this news article, encouraging me to write a newsletter on the topic. (Thanks Mom!) The statistics are all in there, but to summarize:
Between 2019-2021, blood donations from 16- to 18-year-olds dropped by 60%
In the same time, donations from 19- to 24-year-olds dropped by almost a third
Red Cross donors have dropped 40% over the last 20 years
Civic engagement is down among young people across many areas—add blood donations to the list. Whether it’s time constraints, fear of needles, or just a lack of understanding of the process, younger generations don’t want to donate.
I’ve donated blood probably fifteen times in my life, almost always encouraged along by my Mom, who donates almost as often as she’s eligible (every 8 weeks). Since my Dad’s multiple myeloma (a type of blood cancer) diagnosis in 2019, blood donations have taken on a new meaning in our family. One of the most helpful thing we can all do for cancer survivors—and survivors of other diseases or accidents—is donate.
Have you heard about the free snacks?
You heard right. After donating, you’re asked to hang out for 15 minutes while your body adjusts to the change in fluid volume. During this time, I politely, yet quite convincingly, help myself to as many snacks as possible, in the way someone might during a ravenous bout of hypoglycemia. All the snacks and junk food we all crave—did I mention juice boxes??—and a completely valid reason to chow down.
For my Boise State community reading this, there’s an on-campus blood drive this week! Here are the details:
Site: Boise State University Student Union Building
Address: 1700 W. University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725
Room Name: Hatch Ballroom AB
Date: Thursday, February 1st, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00: PM
For everyone else, you can visit the American Red Cross webpage and find a donation site/date near you. Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. is in need of blood or platelets, and just one donation can potentially save multiple lives. Don’t wait!
P.S. Mom recently made me this Spongebob reusable bag (below). For anyone who responds letting me know they donated, I’ll ask her about making one of your very own! Snacks and Nickelodeon swag, what more could you ask for?