By HESSEM LADCANI
Staff Writer
The Red Cross swooped onto campus on Halloween for its annual fall blood drive, with participation similar to a blood drive earlier this year, and was able to collect 30 units of blood from volunteers–blood that could help up to 90 people.
The US is facing its worst blood shortage in over a decade because of the pandemic and recent omicron surge, according to the Red Cross website.
The Red Cross has experienced a 10% decline in the number of people donating blood since the beginning of the pandemic and continues to confront relentless issues due to the pandemic, including ongoing blood drive cancellations and staffing limitations.
Theresa Belfance, coordinator of student engagement and campus activities, and organizer of this year’s two blood drives on campus explained that the Red Cross has and continues to be in need of type O blood, the most common blood type.
The Saint Rose campus has held 30 drives in the past which resulted in a total of 2,800 units of donated blood.
Within the campus’s blood drive, there were two options for donation. Normal blood donation and Power Red required a specific and different type of collection that allows the donor to give nearly twice the amount of red blood cells and help more patients.
While there were many signs across campus to make an appointment, walk-ins were welcome, and the process was actually quite simple.
All a person would need is their blood donor card or driver’s license to check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
While nothing is finalized, Belfance states that there are plans for a blood drive spring semester of ‘23.
