Albany High School will be taking part in a new Red Cross initiative to combat sickle cell anemia at its Nov. 30 blood donation drive.
The drive will be held in the library from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Students, staff and community members are invited to donate at the drive, the first of three the school will hold this year.
Albany High is now part of a program that the Red Cross is hosting called "Sickle Cell Fighter High School Scholarship Program," where we will focus on signing up students and staff and having them identify their race to encourage more Black donors and diversify the blood supply.
According to the Red Cross, many Black individuals have unique protein structures on their red blood cells that make their donations the most compatible blood, with reduced risk of complications.
Students who recruit the most Black donors will be in the running for the Sickle Cell Fighter High School Scholarship Program. That's in addition to the annual Red Cross scholarship for student blood drive coordinators if the three annual drives meet their donation goal.
All prospective donors 16 years of age and older must make an appointment by registering online and using the sponsor code AlbanyHS. Students who are 16 and want to donate also need to bring this signed permission form.
Registered community donors must enter school through the main entrance on Washington Avenue and have their appointment verified before going to the gym. Community donors also must bring a photo ID and be checked in through school security.
All potential donors are encouraged to use RapidPass, which allows them to read the required materials before donating and helps to speed up the donation process. Also, potential donors should drink plenty of water and eat green, leafy veggies in the days leading up to the drive.
