Blood: the best gift of the season

Natalie Winn, Reporter|January 1, 2020

Natalie Winn

Trisha Nandakumar (‘21) gives a thumbs up while her blood is drawn. She reportedly fainted later on in her third block class. “I felt fine for a while and just forgot to drink water. Then, I started feeling really thirsty during class and that’s when it happened. After fainting, I just drank water and went back to class, and I felt fine. I didn’t realize that people were freaked out about it until I talked to my friends later,” she said.

Most Brookfield Central students are aware of the recurring opportunities for blood donation through Red Cross blood drives. What students might not consider is the urgent need for blood donors during the holiday season. As months grow colder, people everywhere become increasingly busy with winter activities. Donations are especially rare in December, and as a result, hospital patients need blood more than ever.

December 2, Brookfield Central students gave this valuable gift at their most recent blood drive. With over 65 appointments, the day could be considered a success. Just ask Trisha Nandakumar (‘21), a two-time blood donor at Central. “[Donating] is not very time consuming and relatively normal,” Nandakumar stated, adding that she plans to donate again in the future. Besides her obvious bravery,Nandakumar has another important attribute in her favor. It might be better to say in your favor, however. Nandakumar’s rare O- blood type puts her donations in high demand. If any patient requires a blood transfusion, her status as a universal donor allows them to accept Nandakumar’s blood without fear of rejection.

Unfortunately, the system does not work both ways. If Nandakumar needed a blood transfusion, she would require another donor with her own rare blood type. To reward donors, Red Cross generously provides assorted giveaways at the end of each donation. This December, participants left the aux gym with a holiday T-shirt in addition to several gift cards.

“I got a Chick-fil-A card and a Sky Zone pass,” Nandakumar said. But more importantly, every participant walks
away knowing that their donation has the power to save three lives. It’s no surprise that each blood drive draws such a large response from the community. What about students interested in making a future donation? To donate blood in Wisconsin, students must be at least 16 years old and weigh 110 pounds or more depending on their height. Although some first-time donors may be intimidated by the challenge, Trisha encourages all BC students to give blood donation a try.

“It makes me feel like I’m making a difference,” Nandakumar said. After all, few things are better than the gift of life.