By Jada Wiggins – November 6, 2017

LifeShare Blood Center will hold a blood drive on Nov. 7 at Captain Shreve.

Donor recruiter Ashley Bagley said approximately 100 Shreve students are projected to donate blood. This is compared to other schools like Evangel, Loyola and Huntington that have a range of approximately 24 to 45 people donate. Byrd is projected to have 92 students donate blood at their blood drive.

“Someone asked me to donate and I thought it would be a good idea because it’s for a good cause,” first-time donor Trent Perot said.

Perot said that he has no fears about donating and feels that it will be easy since he is not afraid of needles. He feels that when he goes to donate, the phlebotomists will help him through it and will be patient with him since it is his first time. He also said that he will continue to donate in blood drives.

“I’ve always wanted to donate blood, but I was never old enough and now I am, so I’m going to do it,” first-time donor Mason Norman said.

Norman said he knows the blood is used to possibly save the lives of those in need. He said that one of his fears about donating is the needle and that he is not going to let that fear stop him from donating. Norman said that he is going to prepare to donate by eating a proper breakfast and staying hydrated.

According to LifeShare, 30 percent of people who receive the blood are cancer patients, 12 percents are accident victims and 5 percent are babies and pregnant women.

The next school drive with LifeShare is expected to be January or February of 2018. Students can donate if they are at least 16 years old and weigh 110 pounds or more. Sign-up is required prior to the drive, and a Minor Donor Permit with a parent’s signature must also be submitted.