Each year at TASIS, students, faculty, and staff come together to participate in the school’s annual blood drive. While the event helps people in need, it also carries a much deeper meaning for the community. The blood drive was created in honor of Joe Dusing, a former TASIS staff member whose kindness left a lasting impact on everyone around him. Ms. Angela Dusing, a music teacher in the Middle School, explained that she arrived at TASIS in 2020 during Covid—and shortly after marrying Joe. Because of travel delays, Joe arrived in Switzerland the following year and later joined TASIS as the school’s Multimedia Coordinator. He worked behind the scenes at school events, managing microphones, speakers, projectors and other technical equipment. But according to Ms. Dusing, what people remember most about Joe is not his job title. “Joe’s superpower was that he made everybody feel good,” she said. “He was just one of those people who could light up a room.” After cancer took Joe’s life in August of 2023, the TASIS community felt his loss deeply. During his illness, he received around 30 donated blood products as a part of his treatment. Ms. Dusing shared that Joe often felt uncomfortable knowing that he relied so heavily on donated blood, and he even asked if it should be saved for “sick people.”
That experience inspired the idea for the annual Joe Dusing Memorial Blood Drive, which was established by Ms. Dusing and High School Science Teacher Dr. Gillian Sawyer-Price in March of 2024. Dr. Sawyer-Price also started the 10th-grade Joe Dusing Blood Drive Service Learning group so that students could help plan, promote, and run the event alongside the Swiss Red Cross. For Ms. Dusing, the event is also a reminder of how much support she received from the TASIS community during a very difficult time. Faculty, staff, and friends helped by bringing food, walking their dog, visiting them, and offering support in many other ways. “I was absolutely overwhelmed in the best possible way,” stated Ms. Dusing. Each year, many members of the community continue to show their support by donating blood. This year’s drive was held on March 26 and led to 42 successful donations, 13 new donors, and 56 attendees overall. Some students who are eligible to donate also take part, which Ms. Dusing is especially proud to see. Ms. Dusing hopes that students learn how important small actions can be and encourages them to become lifelong blood donors. “To be able to use a literal part of your body to support another person is really something special,” said Ms. Dusing.
