Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
 Nearly 100 students rolled up their sleeves March 4 in the annual Student Council blood drive to make their personal donations to a cause that anyone at anytime might need to take advantage of.
 Blood donors come from all walks of life and their recipients rarely known their names or faces.
 Yet, each day, thousands of people let a stranger open a vein and pull out some of their very essence—red blood—the miracle of life for accident victims, surgical patients and so many more.
WHAT IS BLOOD?
 “Blood is essential to the human body,” Anatomy teacher Amanda Corwin said.
 According to Corwin, blood transports oxygen in the body, fights off infections and clots wounds to stop excess bleeding.
 “There are four different blood types,” school Nurse Jennifer Wing said, “A, B, AB and O.” According to Wing, every individual either has a positive or a negative blood type, which determines what blood that person can receive.
 “It helps to know your blood type,” Wing said. “You never know when an emergency will take place and you can save medical staff some crucial time.”
  Corwin says that if people lose too much blood, their bodies can begin to shut down and go into shock, necessitating a blood transfusion.
 “By making blood donations in high school, students can start a life-long habit of donating blood and saving lives,” Allison Hay, the public relations specialist at the Blood Center of Iowa, said.
 According to Hay, first-time blood donors are a vital part of maintaining a stable blood supply. “Young, healthy blood donors are needed to replace old blood donors who are not able to donate,” Hay said.
DONATION PROCESS
 The blood donation process is simple, Hay says.
 Donors start the process by showing a photo ID at the registration table, where they complete a confidential health and medical history questionnaire.
 From there, students complete a mini-physical with a staff member checking the donor’s temperature, blood pressure, pulse and iron level. If the donor meets requirements, they move on to the actual donation process.
 The donation process takes seven to ten minutes. Donors climb up on the donation table while a nurse prepares the skin where the donation will take place. Once the vein is punctured, blood is pumped through an IV.
 After the donation has occurred, the donor proceeds to the refreshment table, also known as the canteen. From there donors receive a snack and juice to consume to regain strength.
 Overall, the donation process takes a total of 45 minutes to an hour.
TYPES OF DONATIONS
“There are three different types of donations,” Hay said, “Whole blood, double red cell and apheresis platelets.”
 According to Hay, whole blood donations are the most common type. Whole blood can be processed to make red blood cells, plasma and platelets for the recipient of a blood transfusion. Donors can donate whole blood six times a year, Hay says.
 “Double red cell donations commonly collect two pints of blood from the donor,” Hay said. According to Hay, the red cells and the plasma are separated in the lab and are used for patients. Hay says that double red donations normally take 15-20 minutes longer and donors can give up to three times a year.
 Apheresis platelet donation more commonly known as plasma donation is where the donor’s red cells and plasma are separated and then the donor receives the red cells back, Hay says. Plasma donations can be made up to 24 times a year.
HOW TO PREPARE
 “Donors need to eat a good meal and drink plenty of liquids,” Wing stressed. “If they don’t, they can become weak and dizzy during the donation.”
 According to Wing, the majority of students who come into her office during the blood drive didn’t eat a good meal or stay hydrated.
 Bloodcenterofiowa.org states that when individuals donate blood, they lose about two cups of fluid. After the donation, the individual’s body replaces the lost fluids by drawing water from their bodies’ tissues.
 The Blood Center also recommends that donors get nine to ten hours of sleep the night before donating so the body is fully functioning.
STUDENT PERSPECTIVES
 “I have given blood three times,” senior Jessica Woodward said. “It’s quick and easy and you never know who might need it.”
 Seniors Matt Lageman and Taylor McCloskey chose to donate a double red.
 “The blood center needed it,” Lageman said. “I’m all about saving lives.” Both Lageman and McCloskey agree that the process is worth the outcome.
 “If I have the opportunity to give to my community, I take it,” sophomore Ryan Pierce said. Pierce is now a second-time donor.
 Sophomore Riley Duer experienced the process of giving blood for the first time during the Student Council blood drive.
 “I was really scared before giving,” Duer said. After giving, she said she realized that it was not as bad as she anticipated.
 “I felt fine after; it wasn’t that big of a deal.” Duer said.
DONATION LOCATIONS
 According to Hay, LifeServe Blood Center operates nine donor centers throughout Iowa. “Community drives are held on a regular basis in Altoona at Lutz Pharmacy and the Campus,” Hay said.
 If you missed the NHS or Student Council sponsored blood drives here and still want to give, you can visit bloodcenterofiowa.org for listings of locations, dates and times.