PCHS student searching for donors for Dec. 26 blood drive

Photo: Courtesy of Kendall Hassel

Hassel's goal is to collect 28 pints of blood during the drive

PARK CITY, Utah — Kendall Hassel, a Park City High School senior, is looking for volunteers to donate blood the day after Christmas.

As a part of the American Red Cross’s Leaders Save Lives Program, Hassel is hoping to get 40 volunteers to donate at the blood drive she will host on Dec. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Park City Municipal Athletic and Recreation Center, located at 1200 Little Kate Road.

The entire blood donation process typically takes about an hour, and Hassel wants Parkites to know that just an hour of their time can make a huge difference in multiple lives.

“Red Cross essentially told me that every one person that donates has like the chance of saving three people’s lives,” Hassel said. “Just because of the way they can like process the blood, and basically, every donation one person makes they can make it three times as much blood.”

Hassel has always had interest in the medical field and volunteer work, but her motivation to host a blood drive grew after she watched her grandmother go through treatments for cancer. According to the American Red Cross, cancer patients use nearly a quarter of the total donated blood supply, more than patients fighting any other disease.

“Cancer patients are actually some of the people who need blood donations the most,” Hassel said. “And that was actually one of the reasons why she suffered kind of through her chemotherapy was because she wasn’t able to get that many blood donations in because they were just so worried about the supply.”

To schedule a donation time, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter the sponsor code PCMARC. Find answers to frequently asked questions regarding blood donation here.