 |
|
| BSA exceeds drive goal
by 3 units |
Sarah Howell
Features Beat
|
During
the Black Student Association-sponsored blood drive last Wednesday,
the group collected 138 units of blood, exceeding their goal of
135 units.
And because every one pint of blood saves three lives, the association,
along with the 164 students that came out, saved over 410 lives.
They also had 34 first time donors.
“We are dedicated to saving lives and giving a helping hand
to the community in whatever way we can, “ said Danita Waker,
a junior majoring in health promotion and an advisory board member
for the Black Students Association (BSA).
Waker said the group sponsored a drive last year as well, and it
was important for them to hold another.
“If we are about to go to war, there will be more of a need
for blood and it’s important to save a life,” Waker said.
Kimberly M. Buchanan has worked as a consultant recruiter for the
Red Cross for the past two and a half years.
She agrees with Waker. “ It seems we get closer to war everyday.
The need [for blood donors] if we go to war will be enormous,”
she said.
Buchanan said even without war, in North Carolina and the country
as a whole, there is a deficit of blood.
Out of the 36 regions of the United States covered by the Red Cross
for blood donation, North Carolina’s region collects the most
blood.
Other regions depend on us to distribute our blood supply to help
keep up with demand. The goal of the Red Cross is to have on hand
a three-day supply of blood at any given moment. Currently, North
Carolina stands at less than a day’s supply.
Buchanan said the reason for the shortage is mostly due to the amount
of bad weather this winter as well as such tragedies as the pharmaceutical
supply plant explosion last month near Kinston.
Given these and other problems, the Red Cross blood inventories
have dropped by approximately 50 percent, causing some hospitals
to postpone elective surgeries.
Every eligible donor is urged to give blood now and every two months
thereafter to keep up with demand.
Giving blood is a simple process for the donor. Donors must be 17
years old or older, at least 110 pounds in weight and cannot have
donated blood within the last 56 days.
It is important to keep the body hydrated the day of donation so
that it is capable of adjusting to the loss.
Once at the appointment, donors will talk privately and confidentially
with a professional from the Red Cross. Donors will be asked to
provide identification and to answer a few basic health questions.
Temperature, blood pressure and pulse will be taken, in addition
to a droplet of blood. From this point, the donor will leave the
interview cubicle to give blood and will sit in a large, reclining,
cushioned chair.
A Red Cross nurse will cleanse the area on the donor’s arm,
and a brief prick of the needle will be felt.
Donation takes about 10 minutes, after which the donor will have
given a pint of blood. The donor’s body will replace the plasma,
the liquid part of your blood, within hours and the cells in the
next few weeks. Most donors feel fine after donation and never experience
any side effects.
However, side effects may include an upset stomach, a faint or dizzy
feeling and possible bruising, redness or pain where the needle
was.
Any upset stomach or dizziness will subside in minutes after donation
and any bruising should go away within the following couple of days.
“A lot of people think [it will] hurt but it really doesn’t,”
said Stephen Rubin, junior finance major and advisory board member
for the Black Students Association. “There’s just the
initial prick of the needle. I really didn’t feel any pain
at all.”
Rubin said this was his second donation and he will continue to
give every time he is able to.
“The benefits are a whole lot greater than the prick of a needle.”
Buchanan was very grateful to BSA for sponsoring such an important
event.
“Without them, we wouldn’t be here. They started this
morning with 140 appointments; they’ve had plenty of volunteers
here all day, and they’ve had more food in the canteen than
we probably even needed. They’ve just done an incredible job
and they’ve exceeded the challenge,” she said. |
|
 |
 |
