Blood drive goes on despite H1N1 concerns

By Anna Archibald

Monday, September 21, 2009

Every year the Lawrence Community Blood Center and American Red Cross will hold a blood drive on campus and despite concerns of H1N1, this year will be no different. Starting today and lasting through Friday, locations will be open all over campus for students and faculty to donate blood.

Because of the H1N1 flu concern, Kelly Unger, president of the Blood Drive Committee, said the group had put more effort into advertising this year in order to appeal to a wider demographic.

Bev Kerbs, American Red Cross donor recruitment representative, said she was concerned a lot of regular donors wouldn’t be able to donate this year because of sickness.

Who: American Red Cross, Community Blood Center

What: Annual Blood Drive

Where: Kansas Union Ballroom. To find more locations visit the KU Blood Drive Web site.

When: Monday, Sept. 21 to Friday, Sept. 25

“When they are symptom-free, they are welcome to donate,” Kerbs said. “But for right now, the message is that we need the healthy ones to come in even if they wouldn’t normally donate.”

Unger said even though the American Red Cross and Community Blood Center have been concerned that the swine flu outbreak will drop numbers, she also said they were still optimistic they could reach their goal of 1,000 units of blood.

“I think because of the publicity, it could be the most successful we’ve ever had,” Kerbs said.

The Blood Drive Committee, a campus group that hosts the blood drive every year, has also taken measures to ensure every person who wants to and is healthy has the opportunity to donate.

Not only have they increased the number of staff for this year’s drive, they have also added a new location at the Kappa Delta sorority house on the west side of campus, said Jim Sajevic, Community Blood Center site representative.

“We have gone to the greek system frequently and have always had success,” Sajevic said. “We try to select different geographic parts of the campus and various types of buildings to attract more people.”

Sajevic said to reach the goal of 1,000 units of blood this year, the center would need at least 1,200 people to show up and donate.

He said 20 percent to 25 percent of people would have an unexpected conflict or would be deferred. He said this would depend on where they had traveled because of disease outbreaks in certain countries, whether or not they had a low-grade fever or if they weren’t feeling completely up to par. Donors could also be deferred if they had low iron or hemoglobin levels.

“We address concerns head-on to ensure the product donated is safe for transfusion,” Sajevic said.

Despite the risk of being turned away while trying to give blood, however, students and faculty are still encouraged to try to give blood.

“Blood cannot be manufactured; it must be donated,” Sajevic said. “It takes less than an hour, it’s easy and the personal satisfaction of knowing you helped someone is all the reward you need.”

Unger said she had been donating since she was 16.

“It’s been engrained in me from my family,” Unger said. “My grandpa was a medic in the war and encouraged all of us to donate blood because it truly saves lives.”

Kerbs said each unit of blood, which is about a pint, had the potential to save up to three lives. Once the blood is donated, it is separated into three parts: platelets, plasma and red blood cells. Kerbs said each unit of blood, which is about a pint, had the potential to save up to three lives. Once the blood is donated, it is separated into three parts, platelets, plasma and red blood cells, and each part is given to a different recipient depending on their need.

As in years past, the American Red Cross and Community Blood Center are offering T-shirts as an extra incentive for people to donate blood. Sajevic said it provided an additional benefit for the cause as well by drawing attention to the campus organization.

Each year the blood drive has a new theme to encourage people to donate. This year’s theme is Crimson and Blue for KU.

“There are other volunteer opportunities,” Unger said. “But by donating at this drive, you save lives and that’s something we rarely get the chance to do.”

Despite the risk of being turned away while trying to give blood, however, students and faculty are still encouraged to try to give blood.

“Blood cannot be manufactured; it must be donated,” Sajevic said. “It takes less than an hour, it’s easy and the personal satisfaction of knowing you helped someone is all the reward you need.”

Unger said she had been donating since she was 16.

“It’s been engrained in me from my family,” Unger said. “My grandpa was a medic in the war and encouraged all of us to donate blood because it truly saves lives.”

Kerbs said each unit of blood, which is about a pint, had the potential to save up to three lives. Once the blood is donated, it is separated into three parts: platelets, plasma and red blood cells. (I think maybe this could stay here with an addition, maybe if we know what each part is used for?)

As in years past, the American Red Cross and Community Blood Center are offering T-shirts as an extra incentive for people to donate blood. Sajevic said it provided an additional benefit for the cause as well by drawing attention to the campus organization.

Each year the blood drive has a new theme to encourage people to donate. This year’s theme is Crimson and Blue for KU.

“There are other volunteer opportunities,” Unger said. “But by donating at this drive, you save lives and that’s something we rarely get the chance to do.”

— — Edited by Abbey Strusz

Comments

Jayhawk14 (anonymous) says...

Please edit this again because the story repeats itself.

September 21, 2009 at 1:33 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

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