On Thursday, January 18, the Future Health Care Professionals, or HOSA, held their annual blood drive from 8:00am to 1:00pm in the Auxiliary Gym. Around 85 participants volunteered to donate their blood to the Red Cross. In order to donate blood, these individuals had to meet the requirements set by the Red Cross in which participants had to be 16 years old with parent/guardian consent, or 17 years or older without the consent of their parent/guardian, as well as meet the set weight requirement.

Madison Simkins, junior, coordinated the blood drive this year at Battle. Simkins donated her blood “because one pint of blood can save 3 people’s lives.” This years blood drive had unexpected days off from school due to Martin Luther King Day and a snow day the following day limiting the number of days that students and teachers could sign up to donate blood. This also led to having a few walk-in participants as long as they were above the age of consent.

Many students felt that it was their responsibility to give their blood. First time donor Joseph Lee, junior, said, “I feel if I can help somebody, maybe they can help someone else” said Lee. “Think about it, if no one donated blood, then all those people who got surgery, and needed medical attention or blood, wouldn’t get it, and people would die. Without donating blood we’d have a lot less people in the worlda�� I feel proud.”

Though some first time donors were in attendance, some students or faculty have donated blood before. Isaiah DeShon, who has donated 4 or 5 times before and enjoys giving blood, was happy to donate again at this date. “I try to do it every time I’m available,” said DeShon.

Some students, like Ramon Fultz, senior and first time donor, just needed the little extra push to donate. Fultz said. “It’s always been something I’ve wanted to do, and then one of my friends told me I should, and offered to sign me up, so I went for it.” But that means that many of the first time donors weren’t nervous while sitting the waiting area. Most of them didn’t know what to expect, but when they were finished giving blood, many were happy they did, and explained that there was nothing to worry about.

For those students or teachers that were unable to donate blood to this recent blood drive, have no fear because Simkins set up another blood drive this year to be held on May 2, 2018. Sign ups are open now, all you have to do is contact Madison Simkins or another HOSA member to sign you up.