Student rivals team up for blood drive

PCHS Senior Areanna Orozco gives blood.

By Nicoles Burns for the FCT

Blood was flowing between Phil Campbell and Tharptown high schools in December, but it was all in an effort to save lives.

This is the second year the PCHS Junior Civitan Club has held a blood drive in honor of PCHS student Karley Welborn. Last year, Welborn was diagnosed with, and beat, Burkitt’s Lymphoma.

PCHS Senior Grace Roberson give blood.

Darren Welborn, her dad, is a teacher at PCHS while he mom, Amanda Welborn, teaches at Tharptown. “We held the blood drive on game night between the two schools so that anyone who came to watch the games would have a chance to donate,” said PCHS student Leah Gunderman. “It’s great to see how many people from the community come out and donate anytime they see the blood mobile at the school.”

“I think it’s great they planned the blood drive to make it available to both Phil Campbell and Tharptown. It’s important to give blood because it really does save lives,” said Karley Welborn. “I had to have multiple blood transfusions during my treatment when my numbers would get low.”

“LifeSouth always brags on our community because so many are willing to help,” said Junior Civitan sponsor Amy Gunderman. “I appreciate everybody coming out to donate and the community support.” LifeSouth said only 37 percent of people in the United States are eligible to donate blood, with only 10 percent ever donating. The Dec. 8 blood drive collected 43 units of blood.

The PCHS JAG class has another blood drive scheduled in February. The Kevin Swinney Memorial Blood Drive will be held Feb. 3 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Anyone interested in donating blood can stop by the blood mobile when it’s out front of the school.