Giving back with Blood.

Commit for life and come to the Blood Drive at the Student Recreation Center that’s approaching next week, February 1 and 2 with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. Oddly enough every time a blood drive is held the real challenge is not facilitating it but getting people to feel comfortable donating.

As a freshman, I made the mistake of putting my real e-mail and phone number on a signup sheet with the Regional Gulf Coast Blood Center. Since then, the blood center will call and ask me to donate blood at least every 6 months. I’ve learned to screen every call from them. Nevertheless, they continue to leave me cheerful reminders on my voicemail, encouraging me to make blood donation a lifelong habit.

While I fear the phone calls, I can’t help but be impressed by their persistence. And reconsider my intense dislike of giving blood.

Entire jobs are created just to coordinate blood drives. A friend of mine, Nick Moy, is one such employee. He adores his job and I can’t blame him. Everyday he is helping save someone’s life.

The American Red Cross has statistically found that every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.

Wow, that is incredible to think about! While you read this there were two to six people who needed blood.

Another statistic provided by the American Red Cross that motivates me to give blood is; more than 1 million new people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Most of them will require blood transfusions, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.

Although these statistics initially made me feel guilt and pressure to give blood, the facts remain, donation is a necessary evil.

So, what are the reasons people won’t give blood?

After asking a random group of people why they will or will not give blood the responses I received were incredibly unified. Generally, people give blood to help others and save lives. Yet, the fear of needles and the idea that their lifeblood is flowing out of them into a plastic bag keep many people from donating.

And although most responses were unified, there are always the unexpected responses. Two such responses were from SFA senior, Raul Davila, said, “I would donate because it’s a way to help someone other than yourself. And it gives me a reason to eat ice cream.” Campus Rec Fitness and Wellness Graduate Assistant, Michael Ryan, said, “I’ll use any excuse to get free juice and cookies.”

So whatever logic, blood donation is one aspect of giving to be seriously considered.

So, be ready on February 1 and 2 between 10a.m. and 4p.m. for the Campus Recreation Blood drive, in the Rec Center Meeting Room. Walk in’s are welcome or you could be an overachiever and sign up in advance in the Rec Center Lobby or online at www.giveblood.com.

And what could be better than a complimentary t-shirt to thank you for your donation!

Just grindin’ the ax - Liza