On Thursday, February twenty-ninth, Monsignor McClancy hosted its annual Blood Drive in association with The New York Blood Center. Volunteers were provided with breakfast before the donation and received a red ‘heart’ sticker to signify their participation. Around sixty students, faculty, alumni, families, and friends gave blood, and exactly forty-eight pints of blood were accumulated at the end of the event!
However, lead organizer Ms. Doddato shared the unfortunate reality concerning the Blood Banks requirements for donors. While checking students’ overall health and vials of blood, a large portion were deferred due to height and weight restrictions or an iron deficiency and ultimately weren’t able to participate. Nevertheless, do not let this detract you from donating in the future. Visit the New York Blood Center’s official website at nybc.org to check eligibility or track down mobile drives in various locations around the city. The organization often works with local community centers or parishes, and opportunities are just seconds away!
In the end, donating blood is a stressful but rewarding experience. As Ms. Doddato puts it, it is “a great way to help save a life” and make way for a better tomorrow!
