More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day, according to the American Red Cross website.
The American Red Cross Blood Mobile will come to EC to try to help meet that demand.
The Blood Mobile will be here from Oct. 11 – 13 at the East Lounge of the Student Activities Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On the last day of the blood drive, the time will be extended to 8 p.m.
The students from the Inter-Club Council (ICC) and the Student Development Office will sponsor the biannual Blood Mobile with the American Red Cross.
“Everyone is encouraged to participate in the campus-wide blood drive,” Breanna Anderson, staff adviser of ICC, said. “A lot of students can help.”
According to the American Red Cross website, there are certain requirements when it comes to donating blood. Students donating blood must have an updated student ID, must be 17 years or older, must weigh more than 110 pounds and must be in good health.
Josian Fuentez, ICC president, said most students donating blood do not realize what a difference they are making.
“Last semester, we collected four hundred and twenty five units of blood,” Anderson said. “Every one pint of blood saves about three lives.”
Fuentez said he encourages students to help the Blood Mobile meet its goal and donate life-saving blood.
“Hopefully, a lot of students will be able to participate by donating to those who desperately need the blood or by at least getting the information out there to others,” Fuentez said.
Students who were asked whether they donated blood before had mixed feelings about the blood drive and some have not donated blood before.
“No I have never donated blood before because I never wanted to do it,” Nur Salami, 20, electrical engineering major, said.
“I just don’t fancy having a huge needle being stuck in my arm for too long,” he added.
However, some students aren’t bothered by donating blood at all and look forward to it.
“Yes, I donate blood every chance I get,” Nelli Shirzad, 19, biology major, said. “Blood donation is such an easy way to be a hero.”
For more information on blood donations, interested persons may go to www.redcross.org.
