By Sally Voth — Daily Staff Writer

Some young blood is being injected into the area's donor blood supply.

Sixteen-year-olds are now able to donate blood thanks to a new Virginia law.

Signed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine in May, the bill allows 16-year-olds to give blood if they have parental consent.

The Greater Alleghenies Region of American Red Cross Blood Services has been accepting such donations in Virginia and Kentucky since mid-July.

The region also includes Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Maryland and Pennsylvania already allowed 16-year-old donors.

Besides Virginia, 20 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands allow donations from 16-year-olds, according to a news release from the Red Cross. It says that donations from teens ages 16-17 accounted for about 8 percent of the Red Cross' annual blood supply.

During the last school year, more than 2,100 16-year-olds gave blood in Maryland and Pennsylvania, according to an e-mail from Marianne Spampinato, community/marketing/public relations manager for the Greater Alleghenies Region.

Even with more donations coming in, the need for blood continues to grow, Spampinato said in a phone interview this week. Nearly 9,000 more units of blood were collected in fiscal year 2008 than in fiscal year 2007 — 225,261 compared to 216,333.

"That just shows you if the blood supply is available, it's being used," Spampinato said.

This year, the Red Cross expects to collect more than 236,000 units of blood, she said.

"Certainly, having two more states, commonwealths, added as [allowing] 16-year-olds should help that," Spampinato said. "These goals are based on anticipated need."

Boyce resident Amy Short, 16, gave her first donation in mid-July.

"My dad and my sister always go, and I have always gone with them," the Clarke County High School junior said. "It's just something I wanted to do.

"I was scared waiting, but then they were like really nice and helpful, and they talked me through it."

Donating blood is a vital act, Short said, "because you can help people."

"You can like save their life if they need blood," she said.

Short had always planned to begin donating blood when she reached the minimum age requirement of 17. She learned about the state lowering the age to 16 while watching the news.

"I was excited," Short said.

She plans to be a repeat donor, and recommends her peers give it a shot, too.

"It takes like 10 minutes of your time, and it's not that hard to do," she said. "It's just like the easiest way to help someone."

Short's 19-year-old sister, Emily, has been donating "every single time if I'm able" since age 17. That's about once every eight weeks.

Emily Short favors the new age limit.

"I think it's a way for them to get more people into it, and I think it's a way to save other people's lives," the Lord Fairfax Community College student said. "It's a good thing for younger people to learn."

The Short sisters have a good role model in their father, Theodore, who's donated about seven gallons' worth of blood.

"I didn't have to twist their arm too hard to get them to do it," he said. "I think it's wonderful that they're willing to help out and try to save someone's life."

Another area 16-year-old made her first blood donation last month. Kelsey Cute, of Front Royal, took part in a July 22 drive at her church.

"It was interesting," the Skyline High School rising junior said. "It was kind of weird feeling."

But, it didn't hurt, and she plans to sign up the next time there's a blood drive. Cute said she'd encourage other young people to do likewise.

"It doesn't like hurt horribly or anything, and it's to help other people, so why not?" she said. "More people should do it."

*Contact Sally Voth at svoth@nvdaily.com