HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Yet one other consequence of the pandemic has been college blood drives being cancelled, and that’s having a huge impact on the nation’s provide.

CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff spoke with Hempstead college students who introduced again a drive on Thursday with excessive hopes.

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Eleventh grader Khan Zidan is a first-time blood donor on a mission.

“I want to help people like my mom and my friends who have had transfusions in the past,” Zidan stated.

After a pause through the pandemic, the Hempstead High School gymnasium was as soon as once more crammed with pupil blood donors. The Key Club supplied classmates incentives like Big Macs and neighborhood service hours.

But the most important perk?

“Being able to save people. It makes you feel good after,” Key Club member Kayla Harris stated.

“We always tell them that even one donation can help save the lives of up to three people,” eleventh grader Salma Perez stated.

(Photo: CBS2)

“It’s saving peoples’ lives as 1 in 3 people may need a donation once in their lifetime,” eleventh grader Camila Rojas stated.

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“To me, blood donations are very personal because a few years ago my cousin, his life was saved because of a blood donation,” twelfth grader Daniella Marroqion added.

Those 17 and up can donate, however 16-year-olds want parental permission. But donating is so widespread on the college, “I have 14- and 15-year-olds that are asking,” Key Club advisor Jennifer Salgado stated.

They’ll have to attend, however the essential message is getting by amid a persistent disaster that has been deepened by college closures, then the Omicron variant, and up to date snow storms. The New York Blood Center used to rely on faculties for 500 drives per yr, however fewer than 100 have come again.

“These youth donors are not only important to our blood supply but to our future blood supply. If they have a great experience donating with their friends and classmates and getting out of chemistry class, that’s a nice experience that will hopefully make a lifetime of giving,” stated Andrea Cefarelli, government director of the New York Blood Center.

The provide is all the way down to solely two to 3 days. A five-to-seven day cushion is required. The New York Blood Center is urging college students to achieve out to learn to comply with Hempstead’s lead.

“I needed blood when I had surgery because I didn’t have enough, so I could say it helped save my life,” eleventh grader Sid Mohammed stated.

“That’s just character-building and that’s one of the key elements in education, is building good people,” Hempstead High Assistant Principal Kristin Kelly stated.

It is, maybe, the only technique to save a life, and you may make a behavior of it. On common, donors can provide blood each three months.

Students can contact the New York Blood Center to arrange a college blood drive or discover out the place teams of teenagers can go to donate blood.

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Schools and faculties had been donating 75,000 pints of blood per yr to the New York Blood Center earlier than the pandemic.