Blood Donations

Warm Up

1. What snacks do you like?

2. What foods are bad for you?

3. What is a famous TV commercial in your country?
   

Reading

US Blood Donations Down by 40%, Teens Donate Least

In 2021, people aged 45 to 64 made up 42% of blood donors. Also, people aged 65 and older donated 41% more blood in 2021 compared to 2019. But the American Red Cross is facing a blood shortage, as the number of Americans donating blood has decreased by about 40% over the last 20 years. The reason behind the decrease is that young people aren't donating as much blood as they used to.

Donations from people aged 19 to 24 went down by 32% from 2019 to 2021. The decrease was even greater for 16- to 18-year-olds, whose donations went down by 61% over the two years. The coronavirus pandemic may be the reason for the change. Many teens donate blood at high school blood drives, but they were stoped during the pandemic.

But the pandemic is not the only reason. The number of young people who donate blood has actually been decreasing since 2013. The American Red Cross is doing a lot to change this. The American Red Cross ran a campaign in early 2023 to encourage young people to donate. For example, anyone who gave blood in the month of April would get a free t-shirt.

The t-shirts had the comic strip character Snoopy wearing sunglasses. At the bottom of the t-shirt was the slogan "Be cool. Give blood." The campaign was a success and more than 70,000 people under 35 donated blood. But there is still a long way to go to meet demand.

Reading Comprehension

1. What age group made up 42% of all blood donations in the US in 2021?

2. What did people who donated blood in April 2023 get as a reward?

3. How many people under 35 donated blood during the American Red Cross's campaign?

Discussion Questions

1. What are your thoughts on blood donations dropping in the US?

2. Do you find it surprising that blood donations have decreased by 40% in the US over the last 20 years?

3. Have you ever donated blood?

4. Has your school or workplace ever organized a blood drive?

5. Is your country facing a blood shortage?

6. Do you know anyone who is frightened of needles?

7. Do you know anyone who works in healthcare?

8. Do you think you'd enjoy working as a doctor or a nurse?

9. Is healthcare and medicine expensive in your country?

10. What major medical breakthroughs do you hope to see within your lifetime?