Blood donations are at the lowest they have been in over a decade, according to the American Red Cross.
This month Western Carolina faculty, staff, and students helped by donating over 350 units of blood that were collected during the blood drive held Feb. 15-17.
“I would like to say a tremendous thank you to all students, faculty, and staff who come out to donate and who have been so patient,” said Carolyn Deal, the Donor Recruitment Representative for the Asheville service area, following the drive.
It takes many volunteers to make a blood drive successful on campus and two groups that have helped make this a successful one are Alpha Epsilon Delta and Sigma Chi. Deal said that this drive could have not have happened without the help of these two campus organizations.
“Both groups have been a tremendous help, not with just this blood drive, but the one before that and all school year. I don’t know what I would have done without them,” said Deal.
Senior, Jeremy Bell is the President and Founder of Western’s Alpha Epsilon Delta chapter, a National Health Pre-professional Honor Society, and is currently the Quaestor (treasure) of Sigma Chi. Bell worked hand-in-hand with Ms. Deal on organizing this blood drive.
“Helping out time and time again has been a wonderful way to give back to the community because it gives individuals an opportunity to be selfless,” says Bell. Deal said that Bell was a tremendous asset to this blood drive and it could not have been done without his help.
“I would like to thank the members of Sigma Chi and Alpha Epsilon Delta for being there for me every step of the way,” said Bell.
According to the American Red Cross every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. That is nearly forty thousand blood donations needed every single day and with many blood drives being cancelled due to the harsh weather across the nation; there is a dire need for donors.
Blood donations that are made in this area normally stay in the western part of the state, but can travel anywhere around the nation and even overseas. The Red Cross is the only blood collecting organization that has the ability to move blood across the nation or across the world, but the needs of hospitals in this area must be met before the blood is sent to other areas.
There are various places to make blood donations across Western North Carolina and for more information about blood donations or how you can donate go to the American Red Cross.
