Chapter Spotlight: Lambert HOSA Fall Blood Drive
41,000, that is how many units of blood are needed each day. An estimated 5 million people require blood transfusions annually in the U.S. alone. To help combat this, the American Red Cross hosts blood drives across the nation. However, hospitals are still facing a blood crisis. A combination of the pandemic and harsh weather has interrupted blood donations nationwide. There has been a 10% decline in blood donors since the start of the pandemic. As a result, doctors are forced to make challenging decisions about who receives blood transfusions. To help increase the dwindling blood supply, Lambert HOSA decided to initiate a schoolwide blood drive. On November 9th, Lambert HOSA hosted its annual Fall Blood Drive. With the help of the Red Cross, we collected over 54 pints of blood: enough to save over 160 lives.
Members of the Red Cross subcommittee at Lambert played a vital role in this event by recruiting students and staff to donate. Not only did the members have to organize paperwork for all the donors, but they also helped arrange donor time slots. After weeks of recruiting, we had over 80 registered donors!
Moreover, the blood drive would not have been possible without the help of our volunteers. HOSA members assisted the Red Cross team with sign-ins and donor recovery. They ensured the event ran smoothly. As a result, the drive was a tremendous success!
The impact of donating blood is monumental to the healthcare industry. A single pint of blood can save up to three lives. About 1 in 7 patients entering a hospital require blood. Accident victims, cancer patients, and people with blood disorders depend on blood transfusions to survive. Therefore, a steady blood supply is essential for hospitals worldwide. Through the multiple years that Lambert has been partnering with the Red Cross, we have collected almost 3,000 units of blood – enough to save 9,000 lives. All the blood we collected at our Fall Drive will be processed and distributed by the Red Cross to hospitals that are facing a shortage.
HOSA’s collaboration with the Red Cross has raised blood shortage awareness throughout the world. Georgia HOSA’s Red Cross partnership, whose mission is to enhance blood donations around the world, provides chapters with the opportunity to get involved. Chapters should take advantage of this remarkable opportunity and participate to support the healthcare community.
Now more than ever, it is crucial to take initiative and host blood drives. HOSA chapters have the potential to end the ongoing blood crisis. All it takes is a location, volunteers, and donors to make a difference. If you are not 16 years old yet, there are still a plethora of ways to contribute, such as volunteering at a local hospital drive or recruiting donors in your community. Make sure to visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/ to learn more about donating! Giving the gift of life to a patient is priceless, and all it takes is a single donation.