by Divya Kumar
News Editor
It is a rare thing for a teacher to have much of a lasting affect on a student beyond the school year in which they are acquainted. This clearly is not the case for Coppell Middle School North’s Band Director, Joel Ashbrook, whose students not only hold him fondly in their memories, but are also willing to go to great lengths for him.
Ashbrook, whose bone marrow has recently stopped producing platelets, is now going through chemo therapy for what doctors feel might be cancer. While normally this process requires medical care and money to be received, upon hearing the news Ashbrook’s students – both former and current – decided to rally together to donate blood through a drive in his honor.
“Several of the parents at North have known Mr. Ashbrook has been sick for quite some time,” CHS sophomore Tommy Reed said. “I know that he has been through three rounds of chemo therapy and that his medical care has been quite expensive. The blood drive was designed to help him get blood for his treatment while offsetting some of his expenses.”
The drive, sponsored by both the school and parents, is to be held at Coppell Middle School North on Dec. 17th, from 2-7 PM. CarterBlood Care, the same group that is in charge of blood drives at the high school for National Honor Society, will be in charge of the procedures. Additionally, the first one hundred donors will receive a shirt saying “Music is in my blood,” sponsored by donations from several parents.
“I have a fear of needles, especially ones that go into me,” former CMSN band student and current CHS junior Hannah Burns said. “But Mr. Ashbrook was such a sweet and giving director, I’d be willing to help anyways.”
Many students share sentiments similar to Burns’s.
“I think that it’s an honor and privledge to help a former band director,” former CMSN band member and current CHS junior Ryan Izadi said. “I care so much about not only our school, but also the middle school and staff, and everyone’s contribution is a huge help.”
Ashbrook, according to Reed, is aware of the blood drive and honored that people are willing to donate blood. The idea that if many people donate, other sick people will be aided as well pleases him along with this.
“I personally am donating because Mr. Ashbrook has had a big impact on me while I was at North,” Reed said. “I would really like to do all that I can to help him.”
For more information regarding the blood drive, contact CMSN at (214) 496 7100.
