On Thursday March 27, Padua Academy will be hosting a Blood Drive. The Drive will be taking place all day, and volunteers from the Blood Bank of Delmarva will set up shop in the gym to get ready for the donations. The Blood Bank of Delmarva is a non-profit organization that provides blood and other blood products to hospitals on the Delmarva peninsula. There are nearly 20,000 patients across the Delmarva peninsula, and more than 79,000 blood donations are needed each year in order to help all the patients. Many students signed up to donate blood and are excited to be able to potentially save some lives.

There are requirements for giving blood. The donor must be at least seventeen years old, weigh 110 pounds, and not have had any piercings in the last twelve months, except for ears. The blood bank wants to make sure it’s both healthy and safe for the donor before they accept any donations.

There are many pros to donating blood; just one donation can be used to save up to three lives. It’s healthy, and along with donating you receive a mini physical, including blood pressure check, heart rate temperature and iron levels. 60% of the American population will need blood at some point in their lives, so it is beneficial to the American population as a whole.

Haley Lucey, Padua Academy senior, states, “I’m so excited to donate blood! I’ve never done it before, but having the chance to save up to three lives is such a great feeling. I’m glad Padua hosts this event every year – because without this opportunity I probably would never donate blood.” Blood donation is an easy way to serve the community and help those in need.