Somebody’s daughter or someone’s best friend is in dire need of a transfusion but there will not be any blood for her. She will not make it. Why? Wesleyan Crew has a meet this weekend. As someone who is alive today because of the blood donations of others I am appalled at the priorities of Wesleyan Division III coaches who are telling their athletes not to donate blood. Connecticut is in desperate need of blood donations and instead of encouraging donation, some winter sport coaches have fabricated stories of how blood donation will affect athlete performance for three months to deter their athletes from donating. Of all the students at Wesleyan, the athletes are in the best shape, making them the best candidates for blood donation—but we won’t see their blood this October.
Blood donation takes one hour out of the day. Yes, you may have to forego a practice or two, but the gift of life might be a little more important than pinning your teammate in practice. Chances are every person, in their lifetime, will either require a blood transfusion or know someone who does. When that time comes, and it may be years from now, will that practice be of great significance or be just a dim memory in a Division III athletic career? People have saved my life with their gift of blood. I’m lucky they weren’t Cardinals or I might not be here at all.
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