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High school senior spearheads annual blood drive

This year Scarborough's Francesca Suster is hosting a blood drive in honor of Jackson Corbeau, a little boy she's never met.

For the second year in a row, a Scarborough student is inspiring her peers to give what she calls, "the gift of life." Amid the chaos of completing the college application process and carving out time for friends and family, Francesca Suster is organizing another blood drive. It's her second one in as many years.

It comes during a time when donations are needed most. According to the Red Cross, it's common for donations to slow down around Thanksgiving. This year, however, they say the decline started before then. 

Nationwide the American Red Cross aims to have a five day blood supply ready in the event of an emergency. The supply right now would last three days at most.

Students typically account for 20% of the overall blood supply, but don't donate as often during holidays or breaks.

That's not the case for Erin Speeches, a graduate student.

"I'm AB+ so I'm actually donating plasma, not blood," said Speeches.

Children and adults fighting cancer can depend on plasma during treatment. Children like two-year-old Jackson Corbeau.

Francesca Suster is organizing a blood drive in his honor. This is her second one. 

"He's from Scarborough. So it hits close to home," said Suster, a senior at Scarborough High School.

The first time she hosted a blood drive, it was at her school. Suster says she was inspired to do so after witnessing the need for blood herself.

"My parents gave me the option: work or volunteer," she said. "So I decided to put all my energy into helping." 

She helped collect nearly 60 units of blood. This year her goal is more, and Jackson's family reached out wanting to help.

Suster recognized the name.

"The Corbeau family? Yes we know them we love them!" she exclaimed.

But there's one small detail.

"I've never met Jackson personally, but I'm hoping I will, soon," said Suster. "It's crazy because I have to manage school, homework, college applications, supplements for the essays, and marketing for this drive and meetings but it's all worth it," she said."It's all worth it."

The blood drive for Jackson Corbeau is scheduled for Thursday January 3rd, from noon to six p.m. at Martin's Point in Scarborough.

Registering for an appointment ahead of time is recommended. 

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