MCC blood drive brings campus, community together to help save lives
For Jessi Beckman, giving blood is a small act that can make a big difference for
someone in a hospital bed.
The Meridian Community College math lab coordinator was among the 60 campus and community members who donated during a two-day blood drive hosted by MCC Student Activities and Mississippi Blood Services.
“Every donation counts, and we’re grateful to everyone who took the time to give,” said Ellie Williams, interim director of housing and student activities at Meridian Community College. “Donating blood is a simple way to help someone in need, and we were glad to give our campus community that opportunity.”
Held in the campus’ Graham Gymnasium parking lot, the drive gave donors a chance to help patients in need. Student Activities hosts the event twice a year.
Beckman, who gave the first day, said she tries to donate whenever she can. Knowing her donation could help someone facing a medical emergency keeps her coming back.
Her advice to those who feel nervous about donating was simple.
“Think about people who really need it, and even though it’s scary, it’s worth it,” Beckman said. “And you feel good about it later.”
Jacob Hitt, a student in MCC’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program, also donated on the first day. The 25-year-old from Little Rock said the ongoing need for blood motivated him to give.
For Hitt, donating offers a way to help others just by taking time out of his day.
“You’re helping somebody for free,” he said.
The need reaches far beyond campus. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, someone in the United States needs blood about every two seconds, and a single donation can save up to three lives.
For donors like Beckman and Hitt, that impact makes giving blood worth the effort. Their reasons were personal, but their goal was shared: helping someone who needs it.
Visit meridiancc.edu/studentlife for more information.