Giving More Than Expected: MLEC Gives Blood
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood or platelets. Nearly 16 million blood components are transfused each year; a single donation can save more than one life.
With many different people needing blood daily, such as cancer patients, car accident victims, and sickle cell patients, the importance of blood cannot be underestimated.
Donating blood also works as a pseudo check-up. Even though donating blood would not replace your yearly physical, your vitals are checked, meaning conditions like high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, and infectious diseases are screened for.
Charles Richard Drew (1904–1950) was an American surgeon and medical researcher who specialized in blood transfusions and developed techniques for blood storage and large-scale blood banks.
Before Drew’s work, blood transfusions were risky because blood spoiled quickly. There were no reliable ways to store blood, making it difficult to supply transfusions during emergencies or large–scale medical needs, especially during critical periods such as wartime when blood was needed most.
Drew was later appointed director of the first American Red Cross Blood Bank in 1941. He would pioneer bloodmobiles, allowing for mobile donation stations that could collect blood and refrigerate it. These bloodmobiles would translate to today’s One Blood’s Big Red Bus, bringing blood donation services directly to communities.
Drew later resigned the following year due to the segregation of blood based on race. The U.S. Army and Navy only accepted blood from African Americans that was marked and stored separately. Drew’s resignation was in protest, as there was no scientific evidence to support this practice.
On October 20, MLEC’s HOSA club hosted its annual blood drive, during which students who donated blood were awarded 100 volunteer hours.
“You have to be a certain amount of weight and age, and if I were able to donate blood, I would,” said HOSA member and senior Nicole Herrera.
When it comes to blood transfusions, there are different types and constraints on who can use it. There are O, A, B, and AB blood types, with each having a positive and negative version. The Rhesus factor is a protein found on blood cells that makes it positive.
The reason an A- person can only have A- and O- is because their body has antigens against B blood types, and their body will respond to the Rhesus factor in positive blood, marking it as foreign and primed for destruction.
O+ is the most common blood type in the U.S., and it can take both O+ and O- blood. O- blood is known as the universal donor, as it is able to be accepted by any blood type; however, individuals with this blood type can only receive O-, as they have antigens against A and B blood and will respond to the Rhesus factor. AB+ is the universal receiver as they have no antigens against any blood type and do not see the Rhesus factor as foreign.
“I felt pretty good. It was a little cold, and I would tell the next person not to panic,” said senior Jeriah Santos.
James Harrison, an Australian blood donor, is known as the “Man with the Golden Arm” for donating 1,173 times between the ages of 18 and 81. He primarily donated plasma because his blood contained rare anti-D antibodies that were used to manufacture injections to prevent Rh disease. He passed away at 88 on February 17, 2025.
“There are a lot of people in this world that are going through a lot of health struggles, and they might need the blood. Just one pint can save three lives and benefit the country a lot,” said HOSA Historian, senior Moteleola Sanni-Ajibola
When it comes to donating blood, its importance cannot be understated. So, if you can, donate. You can save up to three lives with a single liter of blood. Even if you are scared of needles, take comfort in knowing you could be someone’s mysterious hero.
