BOOSTED BY YOUTH

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jan 24, 2008 by Barbara Hollingsworth

By Barbara Hollingsworth

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

As her classmates' blood pooled in storage bags, Washburn Rural High School sophomore Emma Johannes clutched a card with the No. 16, marking her turn in line.

"And I'm 16," she said of the coincidence as she got ready to give blood for the first time.

For blood banks, 16-year-olds and their older high school classmates are helping fill demand. They report a boost since 16- year-olds were allowed to give blood for the first time in 2006, adding to the already important role that high schools play in blood donations.

"We know it had a significant impact," said Mary Kelley, marketing manager for the Community Blood Center in Kansas City, Mo., which serves more than 70 hospitals in Kansas and Missouri.

During the first year of 16-year-oldS being allowed to donate, the American Red Cross Central Plains Region collected blood from 1,000 16-year-olds. Meanwhile, the Community Blood Center registered nearly 5,500 more high school donors during the 2006-07 school year compared to the previous year - a boost mainly attributed to the new 16-year-olds.

"It was just an overwhelming response form those 16-year-olds," said Norma Dixon, communications manager with the American Red Cross Central Plains Region.

The Community Blood Center turned to Washburn Rural students Wednesday as the center sought to rebuild dwindling supplies. The center sent out an appeal earlier this month after winter storms kept donors home and led to canceled blood drives.

"Especially when we had the 9-inch snow we lost two here alone," said Kathy Belanger, a recruiter for Topeka and surrounding areas for the Community Blood Center.

About 125 students and staff members signed up to donate at Washburn Rural for Wednesday's blood drive in a school library. About a third of those, Belanger estimated, were 16-year-olds.

In 2006, state law was changed to allow 16-year-olds to donate blood without the permission of their parents, although both the Community Blood Center and American Red Cross still require signed permission slips.

Already, high schools and colleges represent about 15 percent of donations for the Central Plains Region. Similarly, Kelley said the Community Blood Center draws between 10 percent and 15 percent of donations from students.

And while Belanger had T-shirts to give away to students, she said their motivations are more altruistic.

"The students are doing it out of their hearts because they want to help," she said.

Johannes, the 16-year-old first-time donor, said the free gifts don't hurt.

"And I have all this blood and nothing to do with it," she said.

Barbara Hollingsworth can be reachedat (785) 295-1285or barbara.hollingsworth@cjonline.com.