The Ochsner Blood Bank Shelby Leonhard Memorial Blood Drive

• 17 years and older must weigh 110 lbs. to donate
• 16 years old must weigh 120 lbs. and have written parental consent

Tips before donating:
• Eat a healthy meal before donating
• Drink LOTS of water before & after your donation
• Bring Photo ID

Donating Blood Saves Lives

• Approximately 4 out of every 10 people in the U.S. are eligible to give blood.
• Fewer than 1 in 10 actually donate.
• Approximately 1 out of every 7 people entering the hospital needs blood.
• 1 donation has the potential to save as many as 3 lives.
• 3 teaspoons of blood can save a baby's life.

FAQ’s

Is there anything I need to do before my donation?
Please be sure to eat and drink plenty of fluids before donating.

What will happen first?
You will be asked to provide some basic information such as name, address, phone number and age. A brief medical history is taken and, using a finger stick, a drop of blood will be analyzed to make sure your hemoglobin levels are sufficient to donate. Your blood pressure and temperature will also be taken.

How long does the donation take and what happens?
The procedure is done by a skilled, specially trained technician and will take 10 to 30 minutes.

How will I feel after the donation?
Most people feel absolutely fine and even great knowing they just saved a life. We’ll ask you to hang around for about 15 minutes and eat a snack and drink some water before returning to class.

In January 2011, Shelby Leonhard, who was an eighth-grader at ASH, was diagnosed with a rare form of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The only option to save her life was to be placed on an ECMO machine, which required an incredible amount of blood products to work. To complicate matters, Shelby's blood type of A- was rare and necessary to run the machine. As a response to the critical need for blood supply, the quest for donors began.

In these situations, it is important to look for silver linings, and one of the many that stands out was the incredible outpouring the Leonhard family received from the ASH community and the community at large. Since that time, the Leonhard family has become advocates for blood donation, and the Shelby Leonhard Memorial Blood Drive at Sacred Heart has become their way to give back to the community that helped them in their time of need. It's an incredible legacy to an incredible girl.