Blood Drive #2
Blood Drive #2
Piper Bauer
The time has come yet again for a blood drive held in Flagstaff High Schools’ Commons. January 30, 2026, was the most recent 
blood drive. There will be one more blood drive later this school year, please come donate blood if you fit the requirements. You must be eighteen or sixteen/seventeen with the signed permission form; all requirements mainly surrounding height and weight are listed on the form. You can get this form from Ms. Dante in the Eagle room, which is in between the gym and weight room.
According to redcross.org, “Despite efforts to rebuild the national blood supply in recent weeks, the inventory has continued to drop at an alarming rate of about 35% over the past month.” This is mainly due to the flu, winter weather, and increased hospital demand. Not only is the amount of blood at a shortage, but also the number of platelets. The statistics regarding blood supply prove that nearly every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood and/or platelets. A single donation can help save more than one life.
There are four main blood groups: A, B, AB, and O—However, each group can either be RhD positive or RhD negative, making a total of eight blood groups. The difference between positive and negative blood is positive blood holds its own protein, while negative blood lacks protein. Type O blood donations can go to a recipient with any blood type, type A blood donations can go to recipients with type A and type AB blood, and type B blood donations can go to a recipient with type B and type AB blood. Type AB donations can only be received by someone with type AB blood.
During the summer, there are less blood donations because there aren’t any high school blood drives. The last blood drive at Flagstaff high school successfully went over their goal of people that donated by five people. If you are able to donate blood, stay alert for all the blood drives hosted by Flagstaff High School, and help save lives.