Blood drive tries to double donations

The American Red Cross Club at Pitt hopes to save twice as many lives as it did last year.

The club launched a new campaign with the goal of collecting 500 units of blood, or 500 pints, which translates to about 500 donations.

With the help of free food and greater advertising through fliers, tabeling and social media, Pitt Red Cross Club has already held two successful drives, raising a total of about 100 units. However, the club still needs to raise 400 more units to reach its goal and will extend efforts throughout the academic year, with the next event on Nov. 9.

Last year, the club collected about 250 units over the course of the school year. However, Stacey Rothenberg, the club’s president, said that the new goal should be attainable. She is hopeful that her committee can reach its goal because of the incredible increase in group membership this year, from 12 to 80 active members.

Rothenberg said that donations are currently in high demand and that the Red Cross is suffering from a 40,000 unit shortage as a result of Hurricane Sandy, which devastated the East Coast last week.

“After the recent storm, we need it more than ever,” Rothenberg said.

Ian Henderson, the club’s business manager, said that the American Red Cross Club has teamed up with the Outside the Classroom Curriculum program, which is designed to encourage student involvement in activities apart from classroom studies. Students who donate blood will now fulfill the “service to others requirement” portion of the curriculum.

Henderson said the Red Cross works on a need basis.

“It is conceivable that recent donations will be transported to patients in hospitals affected by Sandy,” he said.

Pitt Red Cross Club has also expanded in terms of partnerships with other campus organizations. Henderson said that the club strives to include service projects in conjunction with its blood drives, such as assembling toy bags for trick-or-treaters at the Children’s Hospital.While the club has always emphasized service, this year, Rothenberg said that it is also concentrating on the social aspects of volunteering and donating, such as hosting social events at Razzy Fresh and holding pizza dinners.

“If more members are making friends, they’re more likely to come out and volunteer,” she said.

Rothenberg said that food will also be used as an incentive to potential donors. To date, they’ve offered meals from Papa John’s, Jimmy John’s and Bruegger’s.

Rothenberg also said that donors this year can look forward to filtered water provided by the service organization on campus, Take Back the Tap, which promotes reusable water bottles. Other incentives in the past have included raffles for Pittsburgh Penguins tickets and Pitt sweatshirts.

But Rothenberg said that oftentimes people don’t understand the importance of giving blood until someone they love is affected.

“One of my cousins had cancer, and she hadn’t thought about donating until she needed the transfusion. So many people will need blood in their lifetimes, even if it is only for something small like low iron,” she said.

Although the blood drives at Pitt through the Red Cross occur about once every month, donors are only eligible to donate blood every eight weeks because it takes time to replace the red blood cells lost through donation.

And while donations are accepted by both Pitt affiliates and the public, Lauren Leibfreid, a member of the blood drive committee, said college students constitue the highest number donors.

“It’s important to hold blood drives on college campuses because there are so many of us here and such a high possibility of reaching people who can donate,” Leibfreid said.

According to Rothenberg, each student donation can save up to three lives.

“It depends on who needs the blood and for what,” she said.

Blood groups are categorized by the presence of A or B antigens on the surface of these red blood cells. Group O donors can donate universally, whereas As can only donate to other As and ABs, and Bs can only donate to Bs and ABs. Those with AB blood type can only donate to other ABs, however, they can receive blood from anyone.

Although blood types vary by ethnicity, overall, O positive is the most common blood type and is in the highest demand.

Rothenberg said that donors will occasionally donate two units. Although it is rare — because there are certain weight and height requirements — the Red Cross will accept these larger donations. Regulations require donors to be 17 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health.

“We will filter some of the blood back in because you really shouldn’t be losing that much blood,” she said.

On average, a man has about 12 pints of blood and a woman has about nine, so he or she can donate about one pint.

Rothenberg encourages everyone to donate, with the exception of those who have been told not to do so by a doctor.

Other reasons potential donors wouldn’t be eligible to give blood is if they have low iron levels, are pregnant, have recently traveled to certain countries, have high blood pressure or take certain medications.

Rothenberg also said that new donors should not be afraid of the process.

“I usually tell people not to let needles scare them. The technicians are all very well-trained,” she said.

Henderson said the donation center is a welcoming place and added that there is typically food and music.

“It’s a laid-back atmosphere,” Henderson said.

When an individual volunteers to donate blood, he or she will first have to fill out medical forms. Next, a technician will measure the volunteer’s temperature, blood pressure and pulse. Technicians will also conduct a finger-stick test to ensure sufficient levels of iron in the volunteer’s blood.

The technician will then sanitize the inside of the donor’s elbow and proceed to insert a needle attached to a bag, which collects the blood. Rothenberg said that the process lasts on average about 45 minutes. Rothenberg added that students should consider making appointments before their donation date at redcrossblood.org because these individuals take priority over walk-ins.

Rothenberg said she hopes students will become aware of the new changes put in place this year and will choose to donate.

“I hope that people will donate now for the people who need it, and hopefully people will donate for you in the future,” she said.