Students think about blood

Forward-thinking students at Grace Christian School have set the wheels in motion to revolutionise their school’s attitude towards donating blood.

After they were set a task to think of a way they could help their community, Year 6 student leaders decided they wanted to learn more about the work of the Red Cross.

Soon it was organised they would make a visit to the Red Cross Donor Centre in Bunbury, to find out for themselves exactly what was involved in the process of giving blood.

Students discovered they were too young to donate blood, but Head of Junior School Donna Holman said this didn’t stop their determination to make a difference.

“The students wanted to help raise awareness and set a goal for their school,” she said.

“They learnt that one unit can save three lives and set the school a target of 100 units for the year.”

Mrs Holman said visiting the donor centre helped the students understand how important and precious blood was.

The students learnt about the strict process of the blood’s journey from the donor to its recipient and the difference between platelets and plasma.

Student leaders will spend the rest of the term promoting the importance of blood donation and spreading the message throughout the school.

Mrs Holman said the students will be talking about the issue in a range of different forums including senior and middle school assemblies, staff meetings, and will work to have information published in the school diary, newsletter and on the website.