At least 100 locally-based hospital patients desperately in need of blood will be helped, thanks to the annual Harker Blood Drive held at the upper school campus in March.

This year’s successful drive resulted in the collection of 44 total pints, which will benefit the Blood Centers of the Pacific, a nonprofit organization that supplies blood to Northern California hospitals, doctors and patients.

The center’s current patients include a six-month-old baby girl suffering from a congenital heart defect, a 16-year-old girl fighting bone cancer, a 21-month-old baby boy with a new  leukemia diagnosis and a 24-year-old man who has colon and liver cancer.

“Because whole blood can be separated into several different components, the drive can help up to 102 patients in need in the Bay Area!” reported Preeya Mehta, a senior and president of the Red Cross Club at Harker.

Thirty-nine Harker students, faculty and staff members gave blood at the drive, which was organized by the Red Cross Club, with five people donating double red cells.

According to Red Cross officials, the Harker drive averages about 50 units each year, roughly twice the amount of other community blood drives, which is good news for Bay Area hospitals currently faced with major shortages in blood. Within 72 hours, all the blood donated goes to a local hospital, and every donated unit can save up to three lives.