Blood drive most successful in UNCP history

By Amanda Hickey
Staff Writer

On Sept. 29, Student Health Services, the SGA and the wrestling team sponsored a blood drive in the UC.

The groups began planning for the blood drive over the summer. They contacted the American Red Cross to see what dates were available and then found out when the UC lounge would be available for the blood drive. Once they had a date, the groups began letting people know about the event so they could make appointments or find time to walk in to give blood.

“Our goal was 130 participants, and we ended up with 141,” said Cora Bullard, Director of Student Health Services.

This year’s turn out was the best the groups had ever done. Prior to this year, the largest turn out had been 100 donors.

In past years, the groups had to turn away participants because their goal was less than the amount of participants that came to give blood, which caused a shortage of nurses from the Red Cross. That is why this year the group increased their goal.

Although 141 people gave blood, some of the blood donations had to be discarded.

According to the American Red Cross, there are many guidelines for who is eligible to give blood, which include being at least 17 years of age, being a minimum of 110 pounds and in good health. Also, donors cannot have given blood in eight weeks prior to the blood drive.

People who are at risk for getting and spreading the AIDS virus, or who have been exposed to AIDS, are not encouraged to give blood. If a person has had a blood transfusion, blood injections, a tattoo, non-sterile needle stick/body piercing or blood contact with open wound, non-intact skin or mucous membrane, he cannot give blood for 12 months.

If a person has used a street drug of any kind in the last year, they cannot give blood. A woman cannot give blood if she is pregnant, but can give blood six weeks after an uncomplicated third trimester, term delivery or caesarean section. If the delivery involved a blood transfusion, the woman must wait a year.

Bullard feels that people should give blood because “It saves other people’s lives. You give life when you give blood,” she said.

Also, some areas are low on certain types of blood due to the hurricanes and flooding that occurred recently.

“Cumberland County was out of O-,” said Bullard. In order to receive more blood of that type, the county called people who had donated O- blood before to see if they would come in and donate again.

For each pint of blood given, three people can be helped. Students and staff at UNCP donated enough blood to help 423 people.

“There is no substitute for human blood,” said Bullard.

According to Bullard, there will be another drive before the end of the semester.