by Jared Rutecki
Ohio
University College of Osteopathic Medicine Community Health
Programs’ (CHP) COMCorps
and Ohio Athletics are teaming up to help shore up Ohio’s blood
supply. The Central Ohio blood inventory has critical shortages
of blood types, including AB negative, which is virtually nil.
COMCorps, an AmeriCorps
program, and Ohio Athletics are sponsoring a Red Cross “Welcome
Back” Blood Drive that will be held Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 11
a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 2 to 8 p.m. at the
Convocation Center. The goal of the drive is to collect a
minimum of 125 units of blood each day.
Those donating blood during
next week’s drive should be at least 17 years old, weigh at
least 110 pounds and be in general good health. A photo id with
birth date is required to donate, and donors may only give blood
once every 56 days. Those wishing to donate should schedule an
appointment by calling (740) 593-0536 or (800) GIVE-LIFE.
Appointments also can be made online at www.givelife.org.
Walk-ins are encouraged, too.
“This need is crucial. We
really need students to donate,” says Nancy Schell, CHP
director of COMCorps. “We hope this blood drive will draw in
first-time donors.”
“Right now, blood is in very
short supply. We are in a critical shortage.”
The Central Ohio Red Cross has
less than a three-day supply on hand for all blood types except
B positive, which is barely above the recommended minimum. It is
estimated that one pint of blood can save up to three lives.
About 4 million people in the
United States need blood each year, so a blood product is used
almost every two seconds. Blood shortages also occur frequently
in the summer and during holidays, because donors are busy. But
the need for life-saving donations, says Schell, does not
diminish.
Donors can register with
Athletics or OhioHealth to win one of four prize packs, which
include university team memorabilia and free Blue Jackets
pre-season tickets. Other prizes include an autographed hockey
puck and a certificate good for a one-hour massage, provided by
OhioHealth. Paramount’s Kings Island is raffling 10 pairs of
tickets each day of the drive, good for a visit any weekend in
October of this year.
- 30 -
News for
the week of
Sept 11 – Sept 16
