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March 21, 2024

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Giving the gift of blood during natural disasters

Giving
Giving

As natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, and catastrophic events like the Las Vegas shooting keep piling up, medical organizations say the number of needed blood donations continues to rise.

    On-campus organizations have gone the extra mile to reach students about the blood shortage going on around the country.

    “BGSU holds a blood drive about every two months so about four to five a year,” said Kari Anderson, University American Red Cross intern and sophomore marketing student. “We are really trying to get the word out this year by having tables in the Union, doing advertisements around the school and online and putting reminders in Campus Update.”

    The need for blood is always there, according to the Community Blood Center representative, Teresa Winner.

    “Blood is always needed, sometimes more than others. It depends on the area, the type of blood and even the amount of disaster happening, but you can never have enough supply.”

    According to the American Red Cross website, someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds and approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed each and every day.

    With numbers like these and the recent events in the United States, donors are always needed which is why the University sponsors organizations like the Red Cross Club.

    The Community Blood Center website illustrates sometimes people are unable to give blood because of various reasons. This can be because of visiting certain countries, taking certain medications or underlying medical conditions. The Red Cross Club gives students a way to volunteer even when giving blood isn’t an option.

    “We are always looking for volunteers to make sure the donors have a safe and enjoyable experience during the blood drives,” said Anderson.

    Another way to help the cause is simply by donating. According to the American Red Cross website, donations can sound scary, but they are very safe. The webpage gives a better understanding of the actual donation process for first-time donors.

    The donation starts with a short registration process, followed by a mini physical to ensure donors are healthy enough to give blood. After the donor is cleared, the donation process is ready to begin. The donation process itself takes about 8-10 minutes for a whole blood donation. This equals about one pint of blood. After the donation process, the donor receives refreshments and some snacks to allow the body to adjust. Donors can donate blood every 56 days when their blood supply is replenished.

    Winner believes some are afraid to donate because of some common misconceptions about the donation process.

    “A lot of people think the process is going to be painful when that isn’t the case at all. Probably 80 percent of our donors, even those who have donated over a hundred times, think the finger prick to test hemoglobin levels are the worst part. The rest is a breeze,” she said.

    Winner also pointed out that many people confuse giving blood for having a blood test.

    “Some patients think they need to fast before coming because they confuse giving blood with taking a blood test for a doctor. They are completely different, and the experience will be much better with having enough to drink and eat before the donation,” said Winner.

    Students such as Rachel Rusk, a freshman business administration major, understand the fears but never look back when it comes to donating blood.

    “I’ve always just thought it was a great thing to do, not to mention your blood will regenerate so you’re literally not doing any harm to yourself. Might as well save people who need it,” she said.

    Students may not see just how much their donation can really do.

    According to the Community Blood Center website, one donor can save up to three lives by donating just a pint of blood.

    “Part of me feels like people don’t understand how much one blood donation can really do. I mean, you get to sit down for like 20 minutes, get free food and save a couple lives in the process. It also makes you feel really good afterward,” said Rusk.

    For more information and statistics about donating blood or to learn how to volunteer at a blood drive, visit the American Red Cross website at www.redcrossblood.org or join the Red Cross Club on campus. Follow BGSU Blood Drives on Twitter to get up to date information for on-campus blood drives as the need never stops.

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