Masuk is 'Well Above Average with Blood Drives'

Patients rushed to hospitals for emergency surgeries, as well as people living with leukemia and hemophilia, all depend on blood transfusions as part of the medical treatment they receive. The American Red Cross collects donations to supply Connecticut's blood banks.

Masuk High School students are among the many volunteers who donate their own blood to the cause. In fact, the high school has hosted four blood drives for the Red Cross this year.

"It's pretty significant, well above average with blood drives," said Doug Wayne, an account manager for the Red Cross. "Most schools do two or three. Next year they want to do four again."

He expected 52 pints to be collected by the end of the day.

The Masuk Representative Assembly, which is the students' governing body, organized the blood drives in advance. Nicole Patterson, a senior, is a chair-holder on the assembly. She said all four blood drives were booked last year.

"We usually have them set in stone," Patterson said. "It's really good that we're doing this."

Nine phlebotomists working for the Red Cross collected blood from students on rows of beds inside Masuk's auxiliary gym on Friday from 7:45 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. This drive was named in honor of Masuk alum , 19, who is battling leukemia. Rogers is now a student at Naugatuck Community College.

"He definitely needs support," Patterson said. "We decided to do this one in A.J.'s name because he was diagnosed in the middle of the year."

On Friday, Wayne explained the process for giving blood. First students would register at a table by the gym entrance, then share their health history with a volunteer in a private booth, before phlebotomists took pints of their blood on beds at the far side of the gym.

Three freshmen boys — Ted Blake, Brendan Ferris and Adam Volman — who are too young to give blood (donors must be 17 or older), volunteered at a table called the "canteen" for the period seven shift. All are members of the Representative Assembly.

"If anybody feels light headed we sit them down and get them snacks, juices and water," Ferris said. "After a certain amount of time they can leave and wait on the mats for about five minutes."

The canteen was stocked with bottled water, Ocean Spray juices and snacks like Keebler Fudge Sticks, Elf Grahams and pretzels.

'You Save Three Lives'

Morgan Berry, a senior, sat on floor mats with a group of friends after making a donation.

"I gave it once before," Berry said. "I just like donating blood. You save three lives."

That is because patients benefit from the platelets, plasma and red blood cells, she explained.

Berry showed a donor I.D. card she received from the Red Cross in the mail weeks after giving blood for the first time. The card keeps track of all donations. Wayne said the cards are made in Dedham, Mass.

Two Red Cross trucks were parked outside Masuk High School.

"It goes back to Farmington where we test it for diseases," Wayne said of the pints of blood. "And then it goes to hospitals, depending on the need."