For almost 14 years, Falls Church has held an annual blood drive at the school, in order to ensure the availability of blood for hospital patients. Overseen by Ms. Napoliello and the National Honor Society, this blood drive will take place on Tuesday, March 20, throughout the entirety of the day.
Every donor is welcomed and encouraged to partake in the drive, and each pint of blood will be
instrumental in saving three lives each. Although the more donors the better, there are a few stipulations to who can donate. You must be at least sixteen years old, and you must submit parental permission slips. Beyond that, there are very few restrictions as to whether or not someone can donate.
If you have tattoos, recent or not, you can give blood as long as your tattoo was done in a sanitary, professional situation. Even if you do not know your blood type, you can still give blood. The other factors that may render you ineligible to give blood would be a fever on the days surrounding or leading up to the drive, or if you are iron deficient. INOVA hospital, which runs the blood drive, will determine your blood type for you. INOVA will also screen your blood for any illnesses or diseases, and will confidentially inform you if they find anything, so that you can seek any medical attention you may need.
While some students may be squeamish about donating blood, or donating blood through a school drive, there is no need to worry. The blood drive is undertaken by medical professionals from INOVA Fairfax Hospital, our local, award-winning hospital. The staff is consistently excellent and kind.
They will talk you through your whole donation, hold your hand if you need some reassurance, and aid
you if you feel light-headed afterwards.
Falls Church High School runs the largest blood drive of any high school in Fairfax County.
Participants will miss class time, receive a t-shirt, and they will be fed afterwards, so that the donors can replenish their nutrients.
The blood drive put on by our high school has a long-running history of excellence, and gives students the opportunity to give back to their community. If you want to take part in such an important civic responsibility as this, right within the comfort of your own school, please see Ms. Napoliello as soon as possible. The appointments on the March 20 are first-come, first-serve, so register as soon as possible.