Maryknoll School Partners with Blood Bank of Hawaii During This Holiday Season
Each year, Maryknoll High School’s National Honor Society coordinates two Blood Drives with the Blood Bank of Hawaii, one in the fall or winter and the other in spring. This year, the first Blood Drive took place on November 13 in the Learning Commons. Our goal is 55 pints for this blood drive.
With the recent natural and other disasters that have occurred, we are reminded that blood donations are critical and that every 2 seconds someone needs blood as well as 1 in 7 people entering the hospital will use blood. Donating blood takes an hour of one’s time, and one donation can save 3 lives when separated into platelets, plasma and red blood cells. Within the blood banking industry, the mantra is “It’s the blood on the shelves that saves lives.” The focus of Blood Bank of Hawaii is to ensure that there is a constant supply of safe and reliable blood product inventories especially since red blood cells have a limited shelf life of 42 days and platelets have a shelf life of 5 days, and it takes 24 hours minimum to process blood after collection.
The qualifications to be a blood donor are simple:
- Be in good health
- Be 16 years or older (*16-17 years old with signed BBH Parental Consent form)
- Weigh at least 110 pounds
- Have a valid photo ID with date of birth
Thank you to the 75+ individuals who signed up to make a donation and to those who are working behind the scenes to help make it possible to "give the gift of life"! We are inspired by those who are able and willing to donate blood as well as embrace our school motto of “Noblesse Oblige”.
