American Red Cross Month- March 28th

The end of National American Red Cross Month is rapidly approaching. Have you donated blood yet? If not, there are still a few more days left for you to do so and make an impact before this month is over! We've said before that only 3 in every 100 people donate blood. If you don't donate, then why not? People have various reasons, but there are 2 that are very common according to the American Red Cross. The first common answer that people give to the question, "Why don't you donate blood?" is "Never thought about it." We all have a lot on our plates and each day brings something different, but despite all of that, we should think about donating blood! One of the many reasons that I chose this platform is because I don't think there is enough emphasis placed on blood donation. Very rarely do you hear anyone speak of it unless there is a blood drive coming up in your area or something such as that. Through the Miss South Carolina Organization and while serving as Miss Greater Hartsville, I feel like I have been given a megaphone to spread knowledge about blood donation so that despite the lack of publicity that it normally gets, I can be a positive advocate for the American Red Cross and influence people to THINK about donating blood. The other common reason people give is one that I hear extremely often, "I don't like needles." This is the normal reaction I get when I approach someone about donating blood. I'm here to tell you that I was once afraid of them, too! Getting shots was one of my worst fears, but just between you and me, the needle is nothing to be afraid of! I've given blood multiple times, and it's never been more than a stick and a sting! Despite the common misconception, it doesn't even hurt when you are pumping your pint. You can barely tell it's there! So if this is your reason for not wanting to give blood, I want you to remember this next time before you answer: think of the power in that needle. With one simple stick and sting, you are being a HERO. You are saving a life so that the person who receives the transfusion can live to see another day. That alone should be comforting enough.

The beauty of the Miss America and Miss South Carolina Organizations is that they provide young women like me with the perfect venue to be advocates for organizations and platforms that may not get that much attention on a regular basis. It's an honor for me to be able to share this kind of information with you all, extinguishing the misconceptions and comforting you so that you, too, may feel motivated to do something extraordinary. Now, I hope you can say that you will THINK about giving blood and know that there is the power to be a HERO in that needle! 

Here are tomorrow's (March 29th) blood drives in South Carolina:*

USC School of Law- Columbia

Green Sea Floyd's Elementary School- Green Sea

Sumter High School- Sumter

Fairfield Central High School- Winnsboro

Charleston Southern University- Charleston

*All dates and locations were obtained via the official American Red Cross Website.