Blood donations for the Hoxworth Blood Center are here again.

     “Unfortunately I am not giving blood this year but I know it goes to a good cause,” states Scottie Hill.  Students that are seventeen or older are allowed with their own consent to give one or two pints of blood.

     “I gave two pints because I am big and have a sizable amount of blood to give,” states MHS senior Drew Harris. That seems like a lot, but you have six quarts of blood in you. Two pints is one quart, so you have twelve pints of blood in your body. Limitations happen on the blood drive for you have to be 5 feet or 110 pounds for a male, and 5 foot 6 inches for a woman.

     “I would have given blood but the doctors said I could not because I was anemic,” says Maddie Reed.

     Scottie Hill, Junior, was not giving blood this year. “I hate needles, and I did not get enough information about the cause or what they are doing,” states Scottie. When asked about who should not be able to give blood, he said children. “It is unethical and unfair to take blood from children because they do not know exactly what they are doing.” To everything good there is always some bad. For giving blood there are symptoms and problems that can occur. The symptoms are fainting, lightheaded, dizziness, throwing up, and, nausea. “They might mess up and hurt you with the needle,” states Scotty Hill.  

     “I gave blood to save lives,” states Harris. Giving blood saves lives and it is important to give, Drew agrees stating, “It does not take long, and it is a selfless act.”

     Giving blood can have issues, but Harris thought of it as a good experience, “I got a little cold, and had shivers after, but they gave me a blanket so I was good. Also it was definitely worth the juice, I am a big juice guy.”