Los Medanos College students and staff were given the chance to save lives this week as drives for blood donation were held on campus.

“This has always been a part of my bucket list,” said student Sarah Puno, “It feels scary at first but thinking I’m saving a life makes it worth it.”

LMC partnered with Blood Centers of the Pacific for a blood drive Tuesday March 21 in community room L-109. Participants were asked to sign up for an appointment, then give a blood analysis by providing a blood sample that can then be potentially matched to someone with the same type of blood.

Blood Centers of the Pacific is a non-profit, community based organization that provides

blood to hospitals across California and aid for over 50,000 patients per year. Donations are given to 50 hospitals including UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital of Oakland and San Francisco.

“Donating blood saves lives and I really want to be a part of that movement,” said Student Life Coordinator John Nguyen.

During the procedure, students have the choice between the 15-minute long blood donation or the half-hour Alyx donation that filters blood through a machine, consuming a cup of red blood cells and returning the plasma and saline back into the body, leaving the donor less dehydrated than they would be after the whole blood donation option.

John Lopez, an Emergency Medical Technician who volunteers for the organization was grateful for all the people who donated.

“This exceeded the amount of people than I expected to donate blood today,” Lopez said as he put down a needle and happily handed Oreos to a finished donor.

A major donation of blood can help remedy a critical shortage of blood in the future. All blood types are needed, especially Type O negative, which is a blood type that can be universally used for most recipients despite their blood type.

Students may contact Blood Centers of the Pacific at www.bloodcenters.org/locations/ and donate at the Antioch donor site at the Bluerock Center on Mondays.