Week 6: ‘Cause Now We Got Bad Blood: But I Think We Can Solve It
Mohin P -
This week, while waiting for my first abstract to get approved, I found myself diving into a topic that honestly surprised me more than I expected: the state of blood donations after the pandemic. I always knew COVID changed a lot of things, but I hadn’t realized just how much it hit blood drives, especially in high schools.
A mix of factors seems to have slowed things down — companies shifting to remote work has made it harder to set up in-person drives, and schools are still hesitant to bring them back. But what I found really interesting was that social media and “gamifying” donations, like offering rewards or turning it into a friendly challenge, have actually helped drive numbers back up in some places. Rotary clubs and community groups are also playing a big part in making sure people keep showing up.
One thing I read that really stuck with me was how Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in Houston switched from cold calls and emails to using targeted text messages. They figured out that people don’t like being spammed and are more likely to respond to a message that feels personal, not pushy. I thought this could be a smart idea for South Texas too, especially since I’ve heard that donors feel like they’re getting spammed.
Another thing I learned was about teenage donors. Apparently, teens are 14 times more likely to experience reactions or even injuries during donations compared to adults. That honestly shocked me, and it made me wonder if this might be part of why high school drives haven’t bounced back. Of course, you can’t just raise the minimum donation age — that would make the blood supply problem even worse. But other solutions, such as offering iron supplements, can help reduce the risk without decreasing the blood supply.
I also came across a program in Austin, run by We Are Blood, that I thought was really clever. They offer scholarship money to schools based on how many donations students make. Imagine telling seniors that their blood drive efforts could directly fund a scholarship they might win. I don’t know about you, but I think a lot of people would jump at the chance to help and possibly get rewarded too.
And speaking of motivation, it hit me that volunteer hours could also sweeten the deal. Especially when NHS hours are due and people are scrambling last-minute (been there, done that). Giving an hour of credit for donating blood might just give students the extra push they need.
One part that really opened my eyes was the effect of tradition — or, in this case, the loss of it. According to Mr. Rudy Flores on the outreach team, before COVID, seniors and juniors set the example for underclassmen by donating. But when schools went remote or canceled drives, that cycle broke. Without older students leading the way, the motivation for younger students fizzled. Programs like the Honors Cord, where students who donate throughout high school get to wear a special cord at graduation, have already helped. I’m hopeful that pairing this with scholarships and volunteer incentives could spark new excitement.
Aside from research, I finally got the green light on my first abstract, which was a great feeling. I have also finished the draft for the second abstract, which focuses on how COVID affected high school blood donors. The data shows recovery has pretty much stalled, and it’s clear that just waiting around isn’t going to fix the problem. Schools need fresh ways to get students back into donation drives, and I’m hoping the ideas I’ve been researching can help push that conversation forward.
Overall, it’s been a week of connecting the dots — from data to real-world solutions — and I’m excited to see where these ideas might lead when I share them with the outreach team.
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