MTSU partnered with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive in the James E. Walker Library on March 26.
Blood drives are essential at this time of year because of the active cold and flu season and growing threats of severe weather, which can lead to widespread blood drive cancellations, according to the Red Cross. Because of these factors, winter and spring are the most challenging times to collect blood.
Gene Baker, a Red Cross senior recruitment manager for several of Middle Tennessee’s counties, ran the blood drive and said the United States needs about 29,000 units of blood a day.
“We might be fine, but then the next week, all of a sudden, we went from a five-day supply to a three or two-day supply,” Baker said. “That’s when it’s scary. So, it fluctuates.”
The Red Cross hosts several blood drives on campus a semester in an attempt to combat this.
The shelf life of blood is only 42 days, Baker said. “We can’t stock up a warehouse full … we just got to keep them going steady. That’s why MTSU is so important. We’re here to save lives. We’re not here to solicit. We are here to meet a demand.”
The demand for blood is so great that most people will know someone affected by it, Baker said.
“Somebody you love will need blood,” Baker said. “Every two seconds, somebody needs blood.”
Baker said he understands the anxiety people have before their donation – such as the fear of needles – but asks these individuals to consider the people on the receiving side of the donation.
“Just think about the fear on the other end,” Baker said. “A mother standing over her child at St. Jude, there’s fear. There’s real fear.”
Donating one unit – one pint – takes roughly two hours, and trained medical professionals handle the entire process. The Red Cross ensures safety by providing a general health screening, checking on donors throughout their donation and providing food and drinks.
The Red Cross returns to campus for another blood drive on April 7 in the Academic Classroom Building atrium from 10-4 p.m.
Appointments can be made at the Red Cross’s website.
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