Department of Veterans Affairs Teams Up With Students To Host Blood Drive

 

SLC is a nationally focused youth forum that provides selected students opportunities to grow and strengthen leadership skills, through volunteer opportunities. Mahitha Anumola, an SLC member in DC, assisted with organizing the blood drive to combat national blood shortages and give back to Veterans and the community.

“The need for the blood is constant,” said Anumola. “It’s not just the unforeseen emergency situations that require it, so many people with lifelong illnesses need access to blood to live and sustain a quality of life. That’s what motivated me to organize this drive.”

Anumola started working with Veterans in 2019, as a summer youth volunteer at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. Her interactions with Veterans then continue to drive her to volunteer with the VA now.

“In my experience with the VA, Veterans really appreciate the efforts that volunteers provide,” she said. “They were so grateful and encouraging to me, and it made me want to continue this work. So, I joined the SLC where I get to work with Veterans a lot.”

To ensure all donors had a great experience and felt appreciated, Anumola recruited Virginia students to volunteer as a welcoming committee.

“What they’re doing is vital. Blood cannot be manufactured, it can only be collected through the generosity of people who are willing to spend about an hour making a life-saving donation,” said Anumola. “We wanted to make sure they felt our gratitude.”

In the hour that it takes to complete the pre-screening, blood draw and recovery period, one person’s donation can save multiple lives. The donations collected at the event will help to refill blood centers across the nation. The BBD aims to keep a seven-day inventory of all blood types.

“It takes individuals willing to donate their time and a pint of blood to help hospital patients, but it also takes willing partners to help us fulfill that mission,” said Patricia Killeen, Senior Executive Director at BBD. “The VA and the Student Leadership Council are willing to step up and do something powerful for the country – getting the local and national blood supplies back to where they need to be.”

This drive was part of VA’s commitment to supporting health care initiatives outside of the Veterans Health Administration. SLC students will also support the American Red Cross blood drive hosted by the Washington DC VA Medical Center’s Center for Civic and Community Engagement on Aug. 24, 2022.

This will be the third blood drive hosted by the Washington DC VA Medical Center this year as a part of their longstanding partnership with the American Red Cross. To sign up to donate, or for more information about scheduled blood drives in the DC area, visit: Schedule a Blood, Platelet or Plasma Donation | American Red Cross (redcrossblood.org)