Blood drive helps BHS community

Thirty-four students and staff donated blood Thursday, Oct. 9 during a blood drive at BHS hosted by the Health Science I and II classes.

“We signed up to do this drive two weeks ago,” said Health Science teacher Amber Khalafalla. They organized the blood drive to get blood donations to help those in the community who need it, and also those in the surrounding areas. All of the blood stays within western North Carolina.

“Places such as Messino Cancer Center, SECU, Grace Cancer Center, Mission Hospital, Transylvania Regional Hospital, and many others in the area will use the blood that is donated,” stated Khalafalla. “The cancer patients in our area use several pints of blood a day at the local hospitals.”

Patients with sickle cell disease need donations of blood as well, and emergency rooms and trauma patients will also use the donated blood.

BHS did lose a competition with Rosman High to see which school would have the most donors, as Rosman had 38 participants.

There were 28 BHS health science students who signed up to help with the drive.

“I feel very good about it because of how many people I can help and getting to see how many people are doing it for us. And it’s not really for us, it’s helping other people in the whole world,” Elizabeth Snowdon, a Health Science 1 student, said before the drive.

“I think of it more as saving a life with our blood. But being able to be part of this is amazing, and I have that feeling a person can wake up in the morning and can have their kid and loved ones because of our blood. Hope everyone donates.”

Myla Tucker, who is also taking the Health Science 1 class, agrees. “I feel great about helping in the blood drive. Knowing that I volunteered gives me a nice reminder that the blood drive my school organized helped save lives. It’s is a great feeling,” she said.

Health Science 2 student Kayson Toole, said she was also glad to be part of the event.

“I love helping organize the blood drive because I want to give back to the community and it’s something I’m passionate about,” she said. “I can earn scholarship money for my future, but most importantly, we can give back to the community and save so many lives by holding the blood drive in our gym.”