Instructor in Physics Dr. Clyfe Beckwith and many others donated blood.
Student, faculty, and staff volunteers gathered in Pan Athletic Center for Andover’s biannual blood drive organized by Andover Students in Medicine (SIM) on November 4. Hosted in partnership with the Red Cross, the drive was a way to encourage members of the Andover community to donate blood and help save lives by simplifying and making the process more accessible.
Previously managed by Michael Kuta, Former Head Athletic Trainer for forty years, the drive this year was spearheaded by Hovig Shamamian, Administrative Director of Wellness, and Martha Fenton, Instructor in Athletics. Shamamian emphasized their work with SIM and the Red Cross to organize the drive, highlighting the increased incentive for blood donors this year.
“We got a really nice training from the Red Cross. We’ve had the same account manager, Alyssa, who’s helped walk us through all the steps of what needs to be done. The Students in Medicine Board has also been wonderful in helping set up. They have a table out at Paresky where they’ve been promoting the drive, said Fenton.
She continued, “One of the biggest things from the Red Cross is a $20 gift card incentive. Usually it’s $10, but this year they increased it to $20, which is really nice. Also, if you donate, you’re entered into a raffle for a $5,000 giveaway, which is pretty cool. Every pint is critical, so we’re really grateful for everyone who’s been willing to donate,” said Shamamian.
SIM’s involvement began two years ago when Kuta was looking for interested students to assist with the drive. Dr. Amy Patel, faculty advisor for SIM, mentioned the club’s intention to continue Kuta’s work by supporting the blood drive in the years ahead.
“Because [SIM] is interested in health and anything medically related, they’ve been really instrumental in helping to generate sign-ups. They’re there during the actual blood drive so that if someone’s not feeling well, they can help them feel better…Mr. Kuta set a really strong foundation for having a blood drive on campus, and there always seems to be a shortage of donated blood. We want to continue this excellent blood drive and the foundation that Mr. Kuta has already set as a way to carry on the non-sibi spirit that we have,” said Patel.
Ava Cai ’27, Co-Head of SIM, explained the logistical hurdles involved in the process of organizing this year’s drive. Cai described the preparation and collaboration that went into the event.
“We started planning about a month ahead. Things we had to work on were working out how to properly outreach to the community to make sure that everyone knows this is going on and to get people involved. Other logistics included getting Pan and also making sure the Red Cross knows everything that’s going on so everything can run smoothly… A big challenge [was] making sure everyone knows about the blood drive and trying to make sure that everyone that wants to participate is able to,” said Cai.
A returning donor, Kaliah Fortune ’26 explained what drew her to donate to this year’s blood drive. She appreciated how the drive made the blood donation process more convenient and approachable for her.
“I’ve always wanted to donate blood. My sisters were talking about how it was on their bucket list so that encouraged me to do it the first tim … I was really shocked when I first saw that they had blood drives at Andover. It’s a direct way to make an impact and see immediate results [and] not necessarily know who it’s going to but know that it’s going to help someone. I was super excited that I would be able to participate in it, and I love that they gave us the opportunity to do that at school,” said Fortune.
The club plans to host another blood drive in the spring. Elisa Lee ’26, Co-Head of SIM, encouraged first-time donors to continue participating in blood drives, noting the importance of supplying blood to patients.
“It’s really essential to realize that even in a first-world country like the U.S., there’s still a critical lack of blood supply in hospitals, even major ones. If there’s a shortage in big hospitals, there’s an even bigger lack in smaller ones. Blood carries oxygen throughout the body. If you don’t have enough blood or the right type, your body can go into rejection and won’t get enough oxygen. It’s essential for any surgical procedure and for general medicine as well. Having enough blood in hospitals can save so many lives,” said Lee.
