Blood drive partnership with Alumni Association brings an increase in donors
Thirty-nine thousand five-hundred and seventy-one units. This number is the amount of whole blood that Bonfils Blood Center has collected from the CSU Bleed Green and Gold blood drive since 1974.The routine blood drive on Wednesday had its first ever partnership with the Alumni Association. The partnership made a difference, according to Bonfils. Halfway through the day they had received about 24 units of blood and were expected to reach 50 or more units by the end of the day.
The event was sponsored by Poudre Valley Health Systems, Hartshorn Health Center and the Alumni Association.
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Bonfils public relations specialist Dianna Hemphill said that CSU has changed almost 119,000 lives in the last 37 years. This breaks down to about nine lives a day affected by donations collected on campus.
“Every unit of blood is equivalent to one pint, which is what every donor gives during their whole blood donation,” Hemphill said. “On average that one pint of blood can save or enhance up to three lives.”
A patient with anemia, cancer, trauma, those receiving a transplant or open heart surgery may be in need of a blood transfusion. Every two seconds someone needs blood, according to the America’s Blood Center’s website.
Last year alone, CSU was able to donate 1,099 units which impacted just about 3,300 lives.
“It’s amazing to think that if someone is willing to give up an hour of their time to donate, they can help make someone’s life that much better,” Hemphill said.
Sharing the same feelings toward the blood drive, SamiJo McQuiston, one of the phlebotomists on duty, expressed that she started her career accidentally and ended up falling in love with everything it entails.
“It’s great to see people want to help people that they will never see and they don’t get anything out of it, except cookies and juice,” she said with a chuckle.
Senior zoology major Allison Jost explained why she was interested in donating.
“I tried to donate in high school and they weren’t able to get any blood out of me because my veins are too small. I haven’t had an opportunity since then, and I thought it would be good to try to do something to help save someone’s life,” Jost said.
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