By Jack McDermott

Online Managing Editor

Prospect had its annual blood drive on Saturday, Nov. 2, collecting 74 bags of blood.  I saw plenty of donors there and am thankful toward every person that took the time (one hour) to donate blood.  I think it is awesome Prospect has this event and gives students opportunities to save lives; however, the life saving ability Prospect students are given to donate blood is widely wasted.

A single accident victim may require up to 100 pints of blood, yet a single donation only supplies a single pint according to the American Red Cross.  This drastic difference requires everyone able to give blood in order to supply the more than 41,000 blood donations needed daily.

When asking my friends to come with me to donate, I got many excuses saying that they are afraid of needles.  Although this fear may be very real, there are patients in need that are afraid of dying.  From experience, I can tell you that donating blood is very easy and relatively painless.

Most people get their preconceived notion of how painful giving blood is from yearly flu shots, when in reality, giving blood hurts much less.  Giving blood hurts less than getting a shot because getting a shot goes deeper into an arm.

Also, getting a shot  hurts because you are mainly feeling the needle go in and out, but when you give blood, the needle goes in, you wait painlessly for 10-15 minutes, and then the needle comes out.  Even this process is quicker and less painful because all the nurses there are very experienced.

When I left the drive, I received a sticker saying “I saved a life today”, and that truly is the case.  Giving blood is easy, yet so essential for sickle cell disease patients, who need blood transfusions often, and accident victims.  There are many things you can do to help people in need, but giving blood is one of the most effective and least timely ways.