To give back to their community, 51 donors showed up to the “Pump Up The Love! Blood Drive” event, which was hosted by Columbia’s Student Government Association this week.
SGA Vice President Amelia Lutz said that there is a “huge drive” on campus for those who want to donate blood, and that this is an opportunity for students to contribute to a good cause.
“We find this to be a really good way for students to be able to do that,” she said.
The fourth annual blood drive, which took place on Tuesday, March 10, offered comfortable seating, snacks to keep up their blood sugar and free shirts that featured a record player design with the slogan, “Keep the beat going, give blood.”
Jose Bernal, collections team lead at the American Red Cross, said that blood donations are important, noting that donations help ease the impact of traumas in hospitals.
“You have people that have certain illnesses that they need transfusions, so that’s why we travel — to make it easier for people,” and give them a chance to donate, he said.
SGA’s blood drive comes within months of the American Red Cross issuing an alert of a national blood shortage.
According to the American Red Cross, the national blood supply fell by a “severe” 35% due to a nationwide flu outbreak and the negative impact of winter weather on blood drive turnout.
The organization urged people to donate before the problem worsened.
To Bernal, hosting blood drives at high schools and colleges is a great way to get more donations because this age group makes up at least a third of the nation’s blood supply. Bernal said that doing drives at schools is a great opportunity.
“We can educate the young on the importance of donation,” Bernal said.
Arwen Miller, a senior entrepreneurship and innovation major, came out to donate, but wasn’t able to because her pulse was too high. Despite this, she recognized the impact that a blood drive has.
“I absolutely think more people should donate,” she said. “I don’t think people should force themselves if they’re not well enough, but it’s important.”
For some students, like Joaquin Torres-Morales, a senior illustration major, it was their first time donating blood, and having a drive on campus made that easier.
“I mostly wanted to give blood because I feel like I don’t really see as many opportunities that are as accessible as having it in the Student Center for students,” Torres-Morales said.
While all donations are important, according to the Red Cross, O-negative blood is in short supply and in high-demand, due to it being a universal blood type that can be transfused with other types.
Jessica Penrod, a first-year fashion design major, has an O-negative blood type, which was the reason why she came out to donate.
“I feel like it’s important to give blood, but I feel like it’s really important that I do that and take the time out of my day,” she said.
For others, the reason to give blood was more personal, like Khalyah Adams-Thompson, a sophomore acting for stage and screen major, whose mom is a nurse. She finds donating important because you never know when you or someone you care about will need a donor.
“Whether it’s strangers or it’s people you love, you know, just because you want to, and just because you know, you’re gonna be helping somebody in the long run,” Adams-Thompson said.
Copy edited by Venus Tapang
