Written by: Emma Boughman
The American Red Cross Club at Southern Adventist University has organized a blood drive for Friday April 26th. The event will be held in the Presidential Banquet Room in Wright Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to club president Perla Catalan, junior health science major, and club secretary Angel Hernandez, junior finance major.
The club, which partners with the American Red Cross to host blood drives on campus, holds a blood drive each semester open to everyone, which Catalan shared in an email with the Accent. She added that donors must wait a few months between each donation.
Catalan believes it is important to hold blood drives where student donors do not have to leave campus to participate, offering them the opportunity to help their community.
“I think not a lot of people know about blood donations,” she said. “ … It’s so helpful, and there is such a big need for blood.”
According to Catalan, giving blood through the drive is simple. She suggested individuals prepare ahead of time by drinking lots of water, eating well and getting plenty of sleep. At the drive, potential donors first take a quick survey covering the health information needed before drawing blood, then nurses check their iron levels to make sure they can donate. If everything is okay, a nurse will draw out a pint of blood, which takes less than 10 minutes. The entire process takes approximately 30 minutes, according to Catalan.
The club is required to host both a fundraiser and community service event, according to Catalan and Hernandez. Since the club was organized last school year, its members have hosted a 5k race, participated in Fall Fest, hosted biannual blood drives, and volunteered in the community. Since the club is service-oriented, students can obtain community service credits at the blood drives.
“My biggest goal for the next year is to grow our member numbers,” Catalan said. She said the club currently has six officers and five other members.
According to Catalan, students who become club members can participate in community service events, help host blood drives and access special benefits. Hernandez said the club’s recent CPR training event, which would normally cost a fee, was free for members.
In addition to the club’s goal of raising awareness about donating blood, Catalan said she personally also wants students to feel like they can be involved in saving lives.
