On Oct. 27, Union University held its annual Lifeline Fall Blood Drive. Lifeline Blood Services hosts blood drives all over West Tennessee, travelling to 17 counties, and host blood drives outside of factories, colleges and high schools.
Sheryl Wren, Health Services Clinic Assistant, worked with Cherie Park, Lifeline Blood Service’s Public Relations Coordinator, to organize this semester’s blood drive. Due to the closeness of Halloween, this semester’s blood drive is called “Drain the Vein.”
Lifeline Blood Services hosts a blood drive at Union University every semester for over ten years.
Only volunteers are allowed to give blood. Students and faculty members are able to volunteer during the day if they want to donate blood.
“It is important for people who are able, to be willing to donate,” Paul Mayer, Director of Health Services said.
Lifeline Blood Services sends the blood they collect to a lab to be tested and processed. Once the blood is approved, it is distributed to the hospitals. There are 17 hospitals in the 17 counties in West Tennessee. Specifically, the blood that gets distributed goes to hospitals in West Tennessee, so the students who donate blood are helping their community as well as surrounding communities.
Lifeline Blood Services predicts that this semester’s projection for blood donations at Union University is 40 units.
“The only way to get blood and blood products is through donations,” Mayer said.
There are several different types of blood, and blood is constantly being used to meet patient’s needs. Lifeline Blood Services needs almost 500 people to give blood weekly to meet the need.
“Someone may need a certain type of blood, and it is important for people who are able to be willing to donate,” said Mayer.
Lifeline Blood Services office is open to anyone to wants to donate blood. There will also be another blood drive held at Union University in the spring.