Hinsdale Central hosted a blood drive on Oct. 21 in the library. The National Honor Society (NHS) ran it for another year, with it being its annual tradition.
Participants came during the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone younger than 17 years old needed a signed permission slip from a parent or guardian.
Students had the opportunity to sign up during school hours in the cafeteria.
“The reason I did the blood drive this year is to help people out in need,” said Faris Siddiqui, senior.
This year, Versiti, the company who ran the drive, assisted students when making blood draws, by having juice and other snacks.
To make a donation, students must meet certain requirements. Firstly, they must be at least 16 years old and have a minimum weight of 110 pounds. Additionally, they need to be in good health.
However, according to Versiti’s website, there are factors that can disqualify potential donors. For instance, individuals with low iron levels, high heart rates, or who have recently traveled to specific regions may not be eligible to donate. It is important to note that travel can expose individuals to malaria, which can result in deferred donation.
“I wanted to help out with the blood drive this year because I love helping people,” said Anjali Jejurikar, senior.
NHS has done a blood drive each year and members see good results each time.
“The blood drive went great. We had 27 people donate and save up to 78 lives,” said Stephanie Hiffman, NHS sponsor and English teacher.
