According to The American Red Cross, someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds. Blood donations are crucial in surgeries, traumatic injuries and cancer treatment. Patients benefit in numerous ways from blood donations; sometimes patients receive whole blood, other times red cells or plasma. One donation could save up to three lives.

On Nov. 5, Naperville North’s student government is hosting their bi-annual blood drive, which has been running for over a decade. This event is run by the company Versiti, a research group. Versiti is home to the internationally-recognized Blood Research Institute. The Illinois Blood Center is based in Aurora and collects more than 155,000 units of blood annually. 

Participating in blood drives is a special way to give back to the community. Jack Byrne, a sophomore in student government, is head of the committee for the event. He is excited to run it because of the need for donations, and for how it strengthens the community’s bond along the way. 

 “I think [the blood drive] is one of the most important things we run in student government because its a very community-based event,” Byrne said. “When we get the community here as a whole, we get to give back to the community as a whole, and I think that’s really special.” 

One of student government’s goals for this event is to reach a larger number of participants than last year, especially from outside the community. Cambria Swanson, Byrne’s understudy in the blood drive, believes that fear should not stop someone from donating. 

“It doesn’t take a long time, they make you feel very comfortable, there is food provided afterward [and] I think it’s something everyone should do at least once,” Swanson said. 

If you wish to donate, keep an eye out for student government representatives in the Large Cafeteria. If you meet the age requirements, the representatives will have you fill out a sheet that asks for your name, ID number and the time you wish to donate.