Schools

Brighton Students Plan, Participate in Largest Blood Drive in Livingston County

The high school blood drive brings in an average of 150 to 175 pints of blood each year.

Brighton High School has been hosting an annual blood drive since before there were records of such things, according to Red Cross Donor Recruitment Representative J. Michael Lenninger.

"This is by far the largest blood drive in Livingston County," he said. "We get on average, between 150 and 175 pints of blood. We're looking to get 175 pints this time to tie the record set a couple of years back."

Thanks to the hard work of the Executive Board, the student body that governs all four student councils, 280 Brighton High School students signed up to donate blood Wednesday in the auxiliary gym. 

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Riley Haupt, a senior on the Executive Board, said she's always been interested in human sciences and is even planning on attending the University of Michigan to study nursing in the fall. 

"I think it's really awesome that every donation saves three lives," she said. "I feel that this is kind of my way of making a difference."

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Haupt has never had the chance to donate blood before, since sickness ruled her out as a possible donor last time.

"I feel like today's the day," she said.

Senior Nicole Brokas was also donating for the first time.

"I'm donating because my cousin passed away a few years ago from leukemia and I was always too young to donate before," she said.

For every one pint of blood given, three lives can be saved. Platelets last up to five days and are typically given to cancer patients to enhance clotting to stop or prevent bleeding, red blood cells are used for rapid infusion treatments from trauma or surgery and plasma can be frozen to be used up to a year later. 

"Currently right now, our demand for blood from various hospitals and patients in mobile hospitals are outpacing donations," Lenninger said. "A couple of factors winter weather has forced cancellations of blood drives especially in western parts of the state. Flu season hit rather hard in Feb and it's still on hand now. We're just asking everybody to find a blood drive, roll up your sleeve and give a pint of your finest."

A person can donate blood up to six times a year. 

"I'm only want four (times per year)" Lenninger said. "I like to tell people every time the seasons change, or the change the batteries in the smoke detecter, make an appointment to give blood. Or another one is every 3,000 miles when they get an oil change - give blood."

To find the nearest blood drive near you, visit www.redcrossblood.org.


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