Associated Student Body (ASB) members from Bowman High School spent their morning working for a bloody, good cause – facilitating a blood drive for Providence Holy Cross Hospital.

(Photo: l-r Bowman High School Students: Caridad Rojas, Guadalupe Camacho, Diana Ramirez)

Why did they do it?

“To help out and save lives,” said Diana Ramirez, Junior, ASB member.

“And it’s a good thing to do,” said Guadalupe Camacho, Junior, ASB member.

Jenny Dermody, ASB Advisor at Bowman High School says she’s very proud of the students.

“It’s very meaningful to them to think that they may end up saving somebody’s life. We all want to be heroes in different ways. And this is a small way that we can do that.” Said Dermody.

Sandy Hibarger, Blood Donor Recruiter for the Providence Blood Donor Center, says blood supplies tend to dip from November through February, because people have more colds and flu during that period and cannot donate.

“You want to help the patient, not get them more sick,” said Hibarger.

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Although the winter months create a shortage, Hibarger emphasizes the importance of donating all year round.

“We just want to make sure our hospitals always have an adequate supply of blood. Let’s not wait for a tragedy to happen before we come out of the woodwork to donate blood,” Hibarger said.

Hibarger says there are complexities to donated blood that people don’t realize, for example, donated blood is only good for 42 days, and that it takes three days after donation to have the blood prepared for transfusion.

“People don’t realize, God forbid if something were to happen to their family on an emergency basis even you as a parent, you cannot run down there to the donor center and donate on emergency basis. Even if you knew your blood was good. You’re the same blood type. It takes three days to process,” Hibarger said.

The delay is necessary under FDA rules that require the blood be tested for hepatitis, HIV and venereal diseases.

“So, in reality if anything were to happen to you or your family you’re going to want to hope that a stranger had donated three days prior. Because that the person who is going save your family’s life,” said Hibarger.

Dermody says the students at Bowman are very community minded. Ramirez and Camacho reflected that in their reasons for spending their day helping Providence.

“Helping the community,” said Ramirez.

“Helping the school as well,” said Camacho.