The Power of Life Scholarship Winner, Vickie Liang

What can you do to contribute to our life-saving mission of ensuring adequate blood supplies if you are not eligible to donate?

For those unable to donate, the biggest contribution to the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is to actually be a leader of a blood drive, like me.

Before I was old enough to donate blood, I was asked if I would be willing  to lead one of the four committees of the upcoming 2006 spring blood rive  at Westside  High School. The ideal of helping out the blood drive intrigued me since the success if this event would directly be able to save human lives. Helping people is the heart, sprit, and core of volunteer work so what could be more important than saving the lives of others? Also, after agreeing to assume the role of committee head of hospitality, I learned that one in every seven people will need blood in their lifetime, but only one in twenty will ever donate, over 800 units of blood are needed daily for the Gulf Coast region to meet patient needs meaning that 800 donors are needed on a daily basic to meet minimum requirements, and blood must come from one person to another, there is no substitute for blood. With these vivid figures in mind and the knowledge that I myself or someone I loved could one day need a blood transfusion (and has needed one) advanced my passion in helping in this particular project.

The day of the actual blood drive was spectacular. The set of the equipment, the organization of the computers, the arrangements rows of tables. The stacking of mound of food, drinks, shirts, all simultaneously started off my morning unquestionably differently. From 6; 30am onwards I met so many different people. From the blood bank workers drawing blood to students I have never met to random community members coming in to donate, throughout the day, there had to have been at least 400 people in and  out of that gymnasium where the drive was being held.

I was able to learn what went and what proved to be disastrous both in the pre-event planning and day of performance, which looking back now helped tremendously for the blood drive I led.

Immediately following the spring blood drive, I enthusiastically volunteered to plan and coordinate the next one. A assuming this role my responsibilities included  not only directing the committee heads chosen, communicating with the blood bank, making and passing out recruitment cards, leading the morning meeting, but also  being a mentor for the juniors that are considering being leaders for the next blood drive.

The most memorable of endlessly working day with so many people and leaders was the moment I heard that the fall 2006 drive had recruited and surpassed all previously established records of the number of blood donors that attended in other years at Westside with a whopping three hundred total potential donors. We generated a breathtaking grand total of 201 units of blood. This was very rewarding because my contribution and efforts as a leader played a great part in accomplishing this task and reaching this goal. Also being a passionate volunteer, I was to see so many volunteers such as I help out that day, making me realize how many people are still willing to take time out of their busy schedules to give back to the community.

From this experience, I would encourage others both my age and younger to help out in some way for blood drives  in particular by donating blood to save  three lives or if not then recruiting parents and friends to donate as well.