According to the American Transplant Foundation, four and a half million people would die each year if it weren’t for blood transfusions. On average, 20 people die a day while waiting for a transplant. National Honor Society (NHS) sponsor Robert Kerr helps fill this need for blood by organizing an annual blood drive at Hastings High each March.
Kerr has been a part of NHS for 20 years now and has been doing a blood drive each year.
“Service is one of the four guiding characteristics for National Honor Society, so this is one of our service activities designed to help others in some way. In this case, we’re helping meet a need, the need for blood for medical uses, that never goes away,” Kerr said.
Each year, NHS usually collects 65-75 pints of blood. However, roughly ten years ago, they collected over 130 pints of blood which not only blew away the record for the number of pints collected at HHS, but any other tri-city school.
“I would love to see that kind of participation again from our student body,” Kerr said.
However, on average 32,000 pints of blood are used a day in the United States. Adding another reason for why it is so important to give blood. Collecting 130 pints of blood was amazing but even that is only a fraction of what is used each day. Every pint donated adds up and in the end it saves lives.
Senior Ellie Moncrief serves as co-chair for the annual blood mobile and agrees with Kerr’s philosophies.
“I think it’s important because it’s just a simple act that can help multiple people. It only takes a little bit of your time and you are saving people. It helps others and also makes you feel better about yourself,” Moncrief said.
Giving blood isn’t the only thing that a person can do to help save lives. At age 16, one can register to become an organ donor. Being an organ donor is important because one set of organs can save up to eight lives. After passing away, there is no use for the organs inside your body. They can be used to save lives.
Senior and National Honor Society member Haylee O’Connell agrees that it is a good thing to be an organ donor.
“I am an organ donor because it is another way to help someone after I am gone and I think it is important because I will be saving someone’s family or friend and I will have no use for them,” O’Connell said.
Giving blood and being an organ donor have many positive effects within society. You can save lives with a little poke of a needle. You can help out National Honor Society and participate in their annual blood drive on March 14.
