Seventy-two lives were saved in a single day with the help of 24 students who donated blood through the sophomore class’ biannual blood drive with Hoxworth Blood Center, a nonprofit organization which provides blood for local hospitals, on Oct. 11. 

Students who donated received several incentives such as free crewnecks, snacks and an excuse from class. However, blood donor Bailey Meyer, ‘25, believes the satisfaction of donating stems from much more.

“I think it’s more [about the] self-assurance and feeling good about what you did,” Meyer said. “Saying, ‘Oh, I’m helping someone else out’ feels good.”

Terra Nelson, ‘26, the sophomore class Student Congress president, also believes in the self-fulfillment feeling earned from donating blood.

“I think [the benefits are] really more mental; you’re doing something that you know will have an impact,” Nelson said. “Even if not every single person’s blood can be used, you’re at least trying and it’s more than nothing.”

In order to encourage blood donation, a student in a red blood drop costume walked around the cafeteria during lunch. This was popular with upperclassmen who talked to the blood drop, took pictures and even encouraged the blood drop to dance.

“So many people signed up because of [the Blood Drop costume],” Nelson said. “Just the posters and announcements don’t really work all the time, but it’s so funny to see a blood drop just walking around the cafeteria.”

Nelson encourages students who are on the fence about donating to face their fears.

“It’s the same as getting it drawn at the hospital for tests, except [with] this you can actually help a person’s life,” Nelson said.

John Caliguri, the sophomore class advisor, has been helping plan these blood drives for over a decade. Over time, he has noticed a decline in donations.

“I think it’s important even beyond Walnut that [students] get into the groove of donating,” Caliguri said. “[Hoxworth] really relies on the younger generation to keep [blood donation] going because a lot of their donors are old now and they [might] not be giving blood or they might be people that need the blood.”

Hoxworth has several requirements for donating blood: being at least 16 years old, fitting into a certain height-weight ratio and not being anemic. Until Oct. 16, when the policy was changed, another requirement was not being homosexual. Meyer did not know about this policy but was surprised at its prior exclusiveness. 

“It’s great that they’re finally getting progressive [and] catching up,” Meyer said.

While giving blood may seem like a tough decision, it’s important to remember that it can change someone’s life.

 “Blood is something that everybody has, but it’s also something that everybody needs,” Nelson said. “If we can help, why not?”