Blood Drive brings big surprise: Community answers the call when blood supply runs low
Published 12:05 am Wednesday, May 13, 2020
- Jenna Necaise learns she is the 2020 Riverside Academy Valedictorian. She is pictured with Kristen Roussel, Kerri Roussel and Principal Mike Coburn.
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LAPLACE — With the need for blood skyrocketing and the supply running critically low, donors in the community are stepping up to the plate to support the wellbeing of others.
Jenna Necaise became one of only two high school students in the region to donate a gallon of blood when she made her eighth donation Monday morning at the St. Joan of Arc Emergency Blood Drive.
Rose Lodrigues, donor recruitment representative for the River Region territory, reached out to Necaise and asked her to come to the drive dressed in her cap and gown.
She received a nice acknowledgement, a one-gallon pin, a red cord and many other goodies. However, the true surprise came when Riverside Academy Principal Mike Coburn arrived at the blood drive to declare Necaise the Class of 2020 Valedictorian.
Necaise was told the calculations wouldn’t be done for a while, so she was taken aback when she heard the great news.
“My principal and staff are definitely good at surprises,” Necaise said. “They said they were just going to go for the blood donation. As soon as Mr. Coburn said the words ‘2020 Valedictorian’, I just bawled my eyes out and started crying in the chair.”
Rose Lodrigues, donor recruitment representative for The Blood Center, presents Jenna Necaise with a red stole to commend her one-gallon donation milestone.
Necaise will attend Washington University in St. Louis to study biomedical engineering on a pre-med track. She started donating blood two years ago, as soon as she turned 16 and met the weight requirements.
“Especially as someone going into the medical field, I realize that blood is very much needed, and it’s the easiest way to give back,” Necaise said. “It only takes a few seconds of your time and it’s painless. I think that if anybody can give blood, they should.”
The Valedictorian announcement wasn’t the only sweet surprise at Monday’s emergency blood drive.
Donoo and Mike Brady, known affectionately throughout the community as the Brady Brothers, have donated more than 50 gallons, combined, over the past several decades.
They showed up to the blood drive with freshly made bread pudding for the other donors to enjoy.
“This is routine for Mike and I,” Donoo said. “We usually go every eight weeks. We missed about three or four weeks with the pandemic.”
Since the closing of The Blood Center’s LaPlace location some time ago, the Brady Brothers have gone to Metairie for regular donation appointments. Mike Brady said he was happy to support a community blood drive so close to home.
The Rev. David Ducote of the St. Joan of Arc Parish stopped in to donate. He brought 16 sets of lunches and breakfast plates that were leftover from a drive-thru lunch distribution to schoolchildren.
“I know that they have a blood need so I figured I should come out and give blood,” Ducote said. “It’s right in my parish. It makes it easy.”
There were 40 pre-signups for Monday’s blood drive, according to Lodrigues. By noon, Blood Center staff had already collected 19 units of blood.
“Blood usage has skyrocketed since the elective surgeries and other procedures have come back. The supply is down, but we are out in the different communities doing blood drives,” Lodrigues said. “During the pandemic, we had to shut down our blood drives, and donors had to go to the donor centers. Now that we are putting on blood drives in different communities, the public is coming out.”
To abide with social distancing guidelines, blood drives are being held using indoor facilities rather than bloodmobiles.
Mike Brady is happy to return to his blood donation routine as blood drives re-open to the community.
Lodrigues said The Blood Center is following all CDC requirements and wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment. Facemasks and hand sanitizer are offered to all donors. Additionally, those who donate must be in good health and cannot have a fever or any cold or allergy symptoms. Chairs and equipment are cleaned regularly throughout the day.
The Rev. David Ducote supports the emergency blood drive at St. Joan of Arc.
“It is a very clean and safe environment,” Lodrigues said. “We’re asking healthy individuals to come out and donate.”
Another community blood drive will be held on May 24 at the St. Charles United Methodist Church in Destrehan. A blood drive is also being planned for the end of May at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Paulina.
