Students graciously donated blood on March 18 and 19, as the American Red Cross truck was on campus in student lot 4.

Isabel Almanza, gender studies major at Fullerton College, attended the event as a 6th time blood donor. Almanza was all smiles after her donation. She donates blood often because having an O negative blood type, her blood is able to go to a person with any blood type.

“After my first donation, when I found out I was O negative, i’ve tried to donate as often as I can. My blood type is especially helpful in the emergency room” Almanza added.

Although most of her experiences giving blood have been positive, including this one, she warned that if you do not prepare well, your experience could be negative. Isabel Almanza stated how one of the times when she gave blood, she hadn’t eaten very much during the day and later passed out at work.

She added how this complication was her own fault for not preparing well and that the phlebotomists [the ones who perform the procedure by taking blood] are always more than helpful.

According to the Red Cross Volunteer, at events similar to the one that was held Monday and Tuesday at Fullerton, they will receive around thirty blood donors to come and donate.

In order to donate, the volunteer stated that you must read an informational booklet provided by the Red Cross about the procedure and other requirements for viable blood donation.

The volunteer stated, “since this is college, everyone here is old enough to donate. But if you’re 19 you have to weigh at least 110 pounds”

Another student, Jennifer Garcia was donating blood on Monday. She had already given blood twice before and stated, “If you are healthy enough and don’t have any diseases that would affect it [being a blood donor], you might as well”. She also brought up the fact that donating blood can help save a lot of people.

According to the American Red Cross, one blood donation can help save up to three lives. The organization accepts all blood types and states that all blood types are valuable and can help save patients’ lives.

There are blood drives almost everyday in Orange County and you can find ones close to you by going onto the American Red Cross website and using their blood drive locator.

If you have never considered donating blood, you should. Most students are healthy enough to do so with minimal risks. The idea that one donation could save up to three lives is incredible and should be reason enough to get more students out to donate.