On Wednesday, April 29th, 32 members of the Camden High School community became part of something much bigger than themselves, giving the gift of life, by taking part in the school’s annual spring blood drive with the American Red Cross.
Students and staff made their way to the auxiliary gymnasium to donate throughout the day, and contributed a total of 28 units collected. That total eclipsed the pre-drive goal of 19 units collected. Of the 32 participating donors, 15 did so for the first time.
Amongst the donation total were 9 Power Red units, which are the most utilized by hospitals. A Power Red donation is a specially-designed process that allows a donor to contribute about twice the amount of red blood cells in their donation than a typical blood donation, while returning platelets, plasma, and saline to the body. To participate in that program, a donor must meet a defined list of criteria to ensure that they can do so safely. Nationally, the Red Cross goal is to have 30% of donations be Power Red donations by 2030.
There were also a total of five Type O units collected. These donations are critical as they are in high demand, and are also often the first to run out in the event of a shortage. Type O-negative is especially valuable because of its universal application across patients of all blood types, so it becomes critical for emergencies where time is of the essence.
With a total of 44 units collected this school year, the Red Cross plans on contributing a $500 scholarship back to Camden High School.
If any student or staff member wishes to participate next time, organizer Diana Carpenter says that an October date is planned for the 2026 fall blood drive.