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Sussex Tech students seek April 16 blood drive donors

April 5, 2021

A limited number of spaces are open for an April 16 blood drive being organized by two Sussex Technical High School students to benefit the Blood Bank of Delmarva. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., Friday, April 16, at the CHEER Center, 20520 Sand Hill Road, Georgetown. To register in advance, go to donate.bbd.org.

“Every drop counts, and in this pandemic, we all need to do our part,” said senior Sadie Davis, a health professions student who is planning a career in nursing. “Having a strong supply of blood is critical for people injured in emergencies, or undergoing surgeries or chemotherapy.”

“Each pint of blood donated saves three lives, and someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds,” said senior Ensar Arslan, an electrical student who is co-president of the school’s Multiplying Good chapter. “It’s easy, fast, and helps everyone in our community.”

Donors must be at least 17 and bring a driver’s license and school ID, if applicable. All donors must wear a mask.

Sussex Tech normally holds two blood drives a year, each organized by students. While the Blood Bank of Delmarva provides staff and equipment, Tech’s health professions students work to recruit donors and volunteers. The day of the event, they greet and register donors, keep track of no-shows, hand out snacks and fluids, and monitor donors as they recover.

High school and college blood drives typically account for about 25 percent of the blood collected during the school year, according to the Blood Bank of Delmarva. The blood bank provides blood and blood products to all 19 hospitals on the Delmarva Peninsula, and relies on more than 80,000 volunteer donors each year. 

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