MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY — Every two seconds, someone in America needs blood. But while the need is constant, the supply often isn’t — especially in summer. That’s why students at Michigan State University are rolling up their sleeves and showing what it means to be Good Neighbors.
These MSU students aren’t just giving their time — they’re giving from the heart. And inside this mobile blood center, every drop of blood means something, says Jeff Smith, a Versiti Blood Center representative.
"For every donation that a blood donor gives, they save three lives.”
Three lives from one simple act. But Jeff says the math behind it is massive.
“So when you think about just Versiti supplying 90-plus hospitals across Michigan — 620 units a day — I mean, it's a lot of units that we need to collect, and these students do a great job at fulfilling that in Michigan.”
Students like Alissa Elanjian, a future physician and founder of the Spartan Blood Club. Alissa turned her passion into purpose.
“The one big thing that I always like to tell people about blood donation is that one unit of blood can save up to three different lives, and that is a huge thing that I think a lot of people aren't aware of. And when you donate blood, another thing that's important is that it can be used for so many different medical conditions, from surgeries to cancers to illnesses.”
Jeff says Versiti collects over 143,000 units of blood a year, but only 4% of the population donates. That’s why starting young is key.
Zach Kostelec, another future doctor, isn’t just donating — he’s reflecting.
“The question that I ask myself, and the question I think everyone asks themselves, is, okay, how am I going to be able to do that? Right? We're given opportunity. So now you have to figure out how to take that step, and I think that this is a perfect example of what that step looks like, right? What can we do with all of our time and energy, and what can we do with the resources we have to be able to actually come out and make an impact in ways that we can.”
Zach says maybe it’s not just a pint of blood — it’s a shot of hope, a shared moment of meaning.
“I think blood donors are good neighbors, because you have a bunch of people here who have time and energy and eagerness, and they want to do whatever they possibly can to be able to get out and help. So with all this resources that we have and all the impact that we have to make, I think that everyone's just excited to do something — to be able to step up and make a difference, even if it's in a little way.”
Because sometimes, making a difference isn’t about making headlines… it’s about quietly showing up — with your heart open and your sleeve rolled up.
And maybe, just maybe, the greatest thing we can give is a little bit of ourselves.
This week’s Good Neighbors… are the ones who donate blood to help someone they’ll never meet.
You can learn more about donating blood at:
https://www.versiti.org/michigan or https://www.redcrossblood.org
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