Welcome to the April issue of Blood Drop.

In this Issue

	"B+" Blood Drives
	March Heroes
	What's Your Blood IQ? Answer Key

School Program Info

There are 201 Hero Donors so far this year. Can you beat last year's total of 314? The Hero Program runs until August 31. Please encourage your friends and family to fill out a Hero Card on behalf of your school each time they give blood.

The following schools are hosting blood drives in April:

• Padua Academy
• Glasgow High School
• Kent County High School
• Howard High School
• Crisfield High School
• University of Delaware
• Woodbridge High School
• Pocomoke High School
• Lake Forest High School
• Charter School of Wilmington
• Wilmington Christian School
• James M. Bennett High School
• Salisbury University
• Sussex Tech High School
• Christiana High School
• Colonel Richardson High School
• St. Mark's High School
• Polytech High School
• Brandywine High School

Click here throughout the month to view blood drive results.

Contact Information:
Lauren Bacon
School Program Coordinator
302-737-8405 ext. 796
schoolbloodprogram@bbd.org

"B+" Blood Drives

Salesianum School and Ursuline Academy dedicated their blood drives last month to Salesianum freshman Andrew McDonough. Andrew has been in A.I. duPont Hospital for Children since the end of January, after being diagnosed with leukemia.

Click here to visit Andrew's Caringbridge site, where you can learn more about Andrew and read his Dad's daily journal entries. The family has adopted the motto "B+" which reminds us to "be positive." It is also Andrew's blood type.

Patients like Andrew often need platelet and plasma transfusions during their treatment. Blood Drop note: Platelets and plasma are components in your blood.  Each blood donation can help up to three patients when separated into components.

Thank you to the students at Salesianum and Ursuline-- you donated 108 pints of blood!

March Heroes

Thank you to the 22 schools who hosted lifesaving blood drives in March!

The 1,103 pints of blood you donated will help thousands of patients in our area. 

Click here to view photos, and click here to see your schools' results.  Send photos from your blood drive to schoolbloodprogram@bbd.org.

What's Your Blood IQ? Answer Key

Answers to last month's quiz:

1. What percentage of a person's body weight is blood?

a. 2% b. 10% c. 16% d. 7%

2. What common chemical added to blood keeps it from clotting until it is ready to be transfused to a patient?

a. sugar b. salt c. bleach d. vinegar

3. How many blood types do cows have?

a. 8 b. 50 c. 100 d. over 800

4. How many blood donors are needed on the Delmarva Peninsula each day?

a. 500 b. 350 c. 200 d. 75

5. What is the shelf life of red blood cells?

a. 42 days b. 35 days c. 56 days d. indefinite- you can freeze it