A Bloody Challenge

In addition to the usual dances, pep rallies and basketball games, for the past three years, British Columbian high schools have participated in a rather unconventional tradition. That of saving lives.

It started out as a small-scale project to spread awareness about blood donations among Surrey students. Today, it is a provincial initiative that drew over 2,000 student blood donors last year alone.

The incentive, a brainchild of Canadian Blood Services community coordinator, Gary Dhillon, is better known as the Domino's Young Blood Challenge. Essentially, what it comes down to is: which school can raise the most units of blood? And although the program is targeted at students, they are not the only ones who can participate. Staff and parents can also contribute to the efforts.

What's in it if you win? Each school has the opportunity to win a $200 educational grant and the top 10 schools receive a pizza party and the chance to raise up to $600 through the pizza party fundraiser (all courtesy of Domino's Pizza). Nevertheless, the appeal to become a donor goes beyond pizza and a monetary incentive.

This is a method by which teenagers can give back to their community without burning gaping holes in their wallets. One unit of blood can improve or save up to three lives, and, for many, that is the greatest incentive. For the shocking reality is that in a lifetime a person will either need, or know someone who needs blood. By spreading awareness amongst high-school students, the Young Blood Challenge hopes to establish teens as a group that will continue to donate blood throughout their lifetime. “We needed to increase blood donations amongst the 17-year-old youth market," Dhillon remarks. “This segment of the population was under-represented when it came to blood donors, [but] is vitally important to our future."

Canadian Blood Services hopes this will encourage students to get in the habit of donating blood regularly and to eventually become lifetime donors.
Last year, 1,724 units of blood were collected through the Young Blood Challenge. Fifty-six schools across BC participated, and it's not too late to contribute to this year's effort. The Young Blood Challenge will continue until April 24th, 2009. To register your school, or simply to learn more about blood donations, visit the official Canadian Blood Services website: www.blood.ca.