Norton held its second blood drive of the school year on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. in the gym. LifeStream Blood Bank, a local non-profit, hosted the blood drive to allow Norton staff and students to provide healthy blood for those in need.
Blood donations are important because they can be used for blood transfusions and surgeries. The American Red Cross notes that a person in the United States needs blood every two seconds, and 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed daily. Donations are especially important in the face of recent blood shortages, such as the nationwide shortage that started in February 2024. For example, only 19% of the western United States’ blood centers have three days’ blood supply for patients; nationwide only 8% have three days’ blood supply. As a result, even the smallest donations can help increase blood centers’ supply levels used for blood transfusions. Transfusions are typically given to accident or burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and cancer patients.
But time, equipment, and different types of workers are needed to make a blood drive happen.
Phlebotomists are essential workers at a blood drive that draw donors’ blood. However, workers like LifeStream driver Iris Samuels are needed to safely store and transport blood donations in coolers to preserve important cells, proteins, and molecules that can be used for testing, research, or medical procedures.
“It goes by the quantity, so we have to make sure we have double the equipment,” LifeStream driver Iris Samuels explained. “I have to go to the headquarters to pick up equipment that I’m assigned to and deliver it.”
Norton’s student ambassadors also help calm nervous donors to make the donation process smoother.
“My job as a hand-holder is to distract donors from the pain, blood, and the needle,” Norton ambassador Desiree Gago (‘25) explained. “I tell them about the process of taking the blood, and I help them to see it’s not a scary thing..”
“I also help people with fears of needles,” Norton ambassador Kasey Medina (‘25) said. “We work to reassure them that they’ll be fine.”
Matthew Sandoval (‘25) shared how ambassadors helped him relax before, during, and after donating blood.
“I was a bit nervous at the beginning, but talking to a Norton ambassador, [David Ruiz], helped me relax,” Sandoval (‘25) said. “I would tell someone who is scared about donating that it’s not as bad as you think. The fear is only in your mind.”
Olivares (‘27) shared similar feelings as Sandoval (‘25).
“It looks so scary at first,” Olivares (‘27) shared, “But you really don’t feel it, and it doesn’t hurt a lot.”
After they finished donating blood, Norton students recognized the importance of their contributions.
“Basically, [blood donations] could save three adults and eight babies,” Olivares (‘27) said. “I was personally motivated to donate because blood saved my mom’s friend.”
“I donated blood because I wanted to save babies,” said Walter Padilla (‘28). “I was told I would be saving at least eight babies and I love babies. I would encourage others to donate in the future for the same reason.”
