Oneblood is a non-profit blood donation center that makes appearances at our school throughout the year. Oneblood will be at Krop again on March 29 and 30 in the student parking lot, taking donations.

About a pint of blood is taken and used to distribute blood products for transfusions, cancer treatment and more to hospitals in our area and all across the southeastern region of the United States.

 To be eligible to donate blood you must be at least 17 years old, and donating during school time requires that you have a signed legal guardian consent form. 

Eligibility also means you  have a certain level of iron in your blood. Women must have a hemoglobin level of at least 12.5 g/dL, and men 13.0 g/dL, but a hemoglobin level higher than 20.0 g/dL automatically defers you from donating. Your hemoglobin level can be tested beforehand or the day of your donation by having your doctor or Oneblood check by pricking your fingertip or inserting a needle into a vein in your arm. 

 If you have been tattooed at a state licensed and regulated facility you can give blood once the area has healed, however there is a three-month wait for those done at unlicensed facilities. Piercings done with single-use equipment can also donate after the affected area is healed, all other piercings require you to wait three months before donating. 

If you have traveled outside of the country to an area where malaria is regularly occurring you will be deferred for three months upon returning. Minor surgeries including dental work could defer you from donating blood. Naturally, blood donation runs risks, among those risks are side effects of fainting, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and bruising or redness in the area of the venipuncture and iron deficiency. Blood drives are essential to helping at least 4.5 million Americans every year fight health issues and get back to living daily life. 

If you would like to consider donating, check out @kropshs on Instagram for information or see Activities Director Michelle Russell in room 3-105 the week before the Blood Drive to sign up and pick up a permission slip.