On Jan. 16, Sidwell’s Med Club partnered with the American Red Cross for their most recent blood drive. Senior Nadia Wheelock, a Med Club co-head, helped organize the blood drive by reaching out to Anya Vedantambe ’24, Director of Parent Relations Kathi Webb ’76 and Center f or Ethical Leadership Coordinator Alex McCoy, all of whom helped run past Sidwell drives.
Through Quaker Notes and neighborhood listservs, Webb and McCoy first alerted the Sidwell community and prior donors that another blood drive was happening. In addition, they posted the date at City Ridge. The news about the blood drive is initially broadcast within the Sidwell community to provide a chance for more Sidwell participants to sign up, but if there are still slots left to fill, the drive becomes public.
According to Webb, a careful process is required when selecting a date for the blood drive to ensure the Red Cross’s availability and minimize conflict with Sidwell athletic events. Once the date for the blood drive is selected, the Facilities and Security members assist with the event while Security staff manage the flow of non-Sidwell donors on campus.
Wheelock experienced the importance of blood drives firsthand after she became sick during her school year abroad and needed a blood donation. “I wanted to be able to help and do the same thing for other people,” she explained.
Students have been running blood drives at Sidwell for decades. Webb shared that someone in the Sidwell community had been in an accident during her senior year. For their class gift, her grade decided to donate blood, organizing a blood drive in the Upper School. At the time, the Upper School was configured differently, with a common area in the middle of the ground floor where tables for the blood drive were set up.
Over the years, there have been several people in the Sidwell community who were saved by blood transfusions. “It’s nice to see the repeat people,” Webb said. “We have someone who’s now donated six gallons … We have a bunch of parents who repeat, and I’m always heartened when kids come.”
Med Club plans to organize another blood drive at Sidwell in May, which Webb encourages students to attend. “It feels like the most important thing you can do,” Webb said. “It requires no money and some amount of time, and you can save someone’s life.”
