Spring Break
Two-day blood drive to be held
CAROLYN CRIST
University students can help stop Georgia's blood supply crisis by donating a pint at the Memorial Hall Ballroom in the Tate Student Center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Tuesday.
The Students for the American Red Cross is holding a blood drive to help tackle Georgia's blood shortage.
"People seem to have a common misconception that we have plenty of blood," said Janet Jarrett, the donor recruitment representative for the American Red Cross. "Georgia has to import from the country on a consistent basis to supply the state's hospitals."
Jarrett said that on Wednesday, the organization only had enough blood to supply all of Georgia's hospitals for one or two days. O negative blood, for example, is only in supply for about 27 hours in the state.
The goal of the drive is to collect 173 units of blood each day, totaling 346 units for both days. Because the blood is separated into platelets, plasma and red cells, the donations can help more than 1,000 people.
Ryan Connor, a senior consumer economics major and member of SARC, created a Facebook group to encourage students to attend the event.
"The SARC tries to run three blood drives a year, and the fall drive is usually our largest," Connor said. "The three lives your blood helps could save people in surgery or victims of accidents."
Jarrett reported that 15 to 20 percent of Georgia's blood supply is donated by high school and college students.
"We want young people to have a good experience donating blood early so they will donate throughout their lives," said Jarrett. "College students have what I call 'young blood' because it has endured fewer illnesses and is pure."
Ten percent of the University's student body usually donates blood at the SARC blood drive. The national average at other colleges is 7 percent.
Jarrett said she saw a 25 percent increase in the amount of donations last year because of the increased number of drives on campus.
She emphasized the importance of eating a good meal, drinking non-caffeinated beverages and getting a good night's sleep before donating blood.
"I've never been able to donate blood because I don't meet the weight requirement," said Haley Houke, a freshman genetics major. "I'm also afraid of needles, so I really look up to those who do it."
Donors should be at least 17, weigh at least 110 pounds and wait eight weeks between the last time they gave blood before donating again.
Each donor will receive a coupon for a free Chick-fil-A milkshake and will be entered in a drawing for a tailgate prize package and a football signed by Coach Mark Richt.
