Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood, according to the American Red Cross. Students at Fenton High have the opportunity to donate blood during all classes on April 17, potentially saving up to three lives if they choose to do so.

There are four major blood groups: type A, type B, type AB, and type O, all with either a positive or negative Rh factor. There are also four types of transfusable products that can be pulled out of blood: red cells, platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate. Usually, two or three of these are created from a pint of whole blood donated. Depending on what type or part of blood the patient needs, a single donation can potentially help more than one patient.

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PHOTO Sydney Bommersbach