Photo caption: STUDENTS KALEB HAYES, Jerimye Henderson-Sims and Sariah Randolph inquire about blood donation.
Earlier this week the Gary Community School Corporation (GCSC) hosted its 2nd Annual Blood Drive in partnership with the American Red Cross. Held at the Gary Area Career Center (GACC), the event provided a unique opportunity for Career Center nursing students to gain experience, assisting American Red Cross staff with donors.
The Gary Schools continues to join the American Red Cross in encouraging all who are eligible to donate blood.
More than 100,000 individuals in the U.S. suffer from sickle cell disease, an enduring and often invisible condition. The disease disproportionately affects individuals of African descent, many of whom rely on routine blood transfusions as an essential treatment to prevent life-threatening complications. A single patient with sickle cell disease can require thousands of blood transfusions throughout his or her lifetime.
“Our community doesn’t always understand how important it is to donate blood,” said Selena Bradley, lead counselor at GACC.
“By hosting periodic blood drives within the schools, we are educating our students and families and possibly saving lives.”
GCSC will host blood drives regularly. Updates can be found via garyschools.org and the District’s social media platforms. Blood donation opportunities can also be found on the Red Cross website at www. redcross.org.
