Samo students turned away from annual ASB blood drive

Camille De BeusStaff WriterMany students were turned away from the annual Associated Student Body (ASB) blood drive in partnership with the Red Cross on Feb. 12.“The most common [reason] would probably be height and weight for high schoolers,” Red Cross Blood Services Account Manager Danica Dias said. “You have to have enough blood volume in your body in order for it to be safe for you to donate.”Another common reason that many people were turned down is their travel history.“People that travel a lot to malaria-risky countries have a 12-month deferral period, so you have to wait 12 months since you’ve been to that country before you can donate blood,” Dias said.Living in Europe for five years, for example, automatically disqualifies you from donating blood in the United States because of the risk of mad cow disease, according to Dias.“I can’t donate blood myself  because I lived in India when I was little," Bronte Burnette ('13), who organized the ASB Blood Drive, said. "But I like being able to know that I’m putting on something that gets plenty of other people to donate blood.”Many females were also deferred because of low iron levels.Eleanor Reynolds (’14) was not able to donate blood since she did not meet the requirements of being at least 5'4'' and 125 lbs., but hopes she will someday become eligible.“I'd like to donate once I meet the requirements,” Reynolds said. “It'll be nice to know I'm doing some good.”cdebeus@thesamohi.com