75 out of 76 presenting donors filled the South gym, ready to partake in the annual Student Council blood drive. Teaming up with Delete Blood Cancer, they introduced cheek swipes to match as a bone marrow donor.

Though there weren’t as many community member donors as the fall blood drive — due to lack of advertising, the spring blood drive went smoothly with a total of 54 units of blood collected. As  result of the online registration addition last semester, the blood drive ran smoothly with minimal waiting time.

“It’s running pretty smoothly this time,” junior Nate Clark said. “We got the computers in here now and it was a pain having to go to the computer lab and disrupt them.”

To sophomore Meganne Morrand, receiving help from the volunteers assisted her with donating blood for the first time.

The volunteers there assisted the student donors all the way, from signing up to walking them to the commissary to aiding them while they regained their strength.  

The Fall blood drive introduced online registering; this year senior Nate Clark was approached by a volunteer from the Delete Blood Cancer organization, and asked to promote their new campaign, “18 & Swabbin’.”

“I had someone approached me about it. She’s in charge of spreading it around. She just basically told me about it and asked if we do it at MHS,” Clark said. “Yeah it’s basically just a swap and it can help determines a match for blood cancer and it’s super easy.”

10 students signed up as possible bone marrow donors. After filling out contact information, students swab their cheeks for 30 seconds and then their samples get sent off and analysed for DNA. Donors who are a possible match are contacted for either a Marrow or a Blood Stem Cell Donation.

According to the Delete Blood Cancer organization, blood cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. This organization is a part of the world’s largest bone marrow donor center with nearly six million registered donors and has saved over 800 families.

“My goal is to get eligible seniors to register in April, which is National Donate Life Month and when most seniors are 18 years of age,” 18 and swabbin’ campaign Kathleen Parker said. “This is our fourth year and we now have over 40 area high schools participating, including our hometown of Manhattan. Eventually we want our campaign to reach every high school and to provide eligible seniors a simple way to pay it forward.”

As stated in the Delete Blood Cancer website, every year 14 thousand patients need bone marrow transplant, but only half will find matching donors.

“There are so many people in need and it will be through efforts like yours that help save a mother, father, cousin, child,” Parker said.