From 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 24 in the Hoffman Field House, KO’s Future Health Professionals club hosted the Warren Baird Blood Drive, partnering with the American Red Cross to make this annual event possible. With a starting goal of collecting 40 pints, students, faculty, staff, and parents came together to successfully donate 36 units of blood.
The annual Baird Blood Drive began in honor of longtime KO English teacher Warren Baird who passed away due to a blood disorder that required him to receive many blood transfusions throughout his lifetime. Former science teacher Carol Caley started the first blood drive at KO more than 20 years ago, and the tradition has been upheld each year ever since. Over the years, it has become an opportunity for students to learn more about the process of blood donation, its purpose, and its need in the world today.
This event would not be possible without the efforts of Faculty Advisor for Future Health Professionals Carolyn McKee, who spoke at an Upper School assembly on Feb. 18, about the importance of donating. She told the community about her sister’s experience needing blood transfusions as a result of chemotherapy cancer treatment and encouraged people to donate. Ms. McKee also helped to advertise the blood drive and organize student volunteers ahead of time.
She is excited to see students getting involved in the blood donation process, as it often begins a lifetime habit of donating blood. “You want to get someone to do something, then realize how good it feels and how easy it is,” Ms. McKee said. She also noted how being a first-time donor can feel scary, but is a much easier feat to accomplish in a known place surrounded by friends and teachers.
Senior Addisen Nicholson donated blood for the first time this year and said she had a great experience with no major side effects after giving her pint. “I didn’t feel much different than I would on any other day,” she said. “I got a good night’s sleep, so I was energized in the morning. I’m sure that helped.”
Another important part of the blood drive is having enough people available to run it. Since many of the people from the Red Cross were nurses, the tradition of students volunteering at the event was continued. During each class period of the day, three or four students sat at tables checking donors in, walking donors from tables to floor mats, and bringing snacks and drinks to donors in the resting area. Though not directly giving blood, these students played a crucial role in the success of the event, as they kept donors feeling happy and healthy.
In addition to donating, Addisen also spent an hour as a volunteer managing the check-in table. There, she scanned donors’ IDs and helped them access the pre-donation RapidPass questionnaire. “It was really neat working with the Red Cross staff because we had the manager of the operation there with us, at the table,” Addisen said. “She was super nice and she comforted everybody who was donating.”
Ms. McKee agreed, saying that the Red Cross’s preexisting organization and planning makes the whole day run efficiently. “It’s a well-oiled machine that runs on the generosity of strangers,” she said. “They set up the space, they give us a portal, they staff the drive, they bring their own snacks, and it’s really the easiest thing to run.”
From both the donor and volunteer perspectives of the blood drive, Addisen had nothing but positive things to say about her experience. Her one piece of advice: read through all of the donor materials before scheduling your appointment. “Some people got turned away for traveling out of the country in the past few months,” she said. “Because of health concerns and cross-contamination, they want to make sure the blood is the most beneficial for whoever’s receiving the blood.” Many people who didn’t meet the qualifications found out through questions in the RapidPass, a useful tool that both eases and quickens the preparation process.
Looking towards next year’s drive, Ms. McKee is hopeful that the community will reach its donation goal of 40 pints, a reasonable conjecture based on the success this year. “This year, we’ve had more kids giving than we’ve ever had before,” she said. “It’s fear that prevents most people from donating, but I feel like there were so many people who gave that the word got out. I hope that means we have more people willing to donate in the future.”
More than anything else, the success at the blood drive demonstrates the KO community’s ability to truly care beyond self. Thanks to all who donated and volunteered at the event!
