By RACHEL EMERSON
Student Reporter
Today is the last day to donate blood in a two-day blood drive held this week on the Northwestern campus.
The Oklahoma Blood Institute staff has been on campus for a blood drive since Wednesday morning. They are back again from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and set up in the Ranger Room in the Student Center. Two sororities on campus, Delta Zeta and Alpha Sigma Alpha, are sponsoring the drive. A photo ID is required to be able to donate. Everyone who participates in this drive will receive a free T-shirt, health screenings and donor rewards points.
The goal is to have 225 people donate for both days of the drive for a total of 450 donations by the end. “I encourage all faculty, staff and students to participate,” said Rachel Stewart, special events coordinator for Northwestern. Reaching the goal of 450 donations is important because the Oklahoma Blood Institute and hospitals in the area rely greatly on the donations from each drive to maintain adequate blood supply. Human blood cannot be substituted and needs to be renewed constantly.
There are many reasons to get out and donate blood. The free T-shirt, the health screening and the donor rewards point are all good “When you give blood, you’ll feel good about saving someone else’s life. Who knows, it could be your friend, co-worker, or even a member of your own family,” but donating blood also has some more meaningful rewards. Donating blood gives the donor the satisfaction of saving a life. “When you give blood, you’ll feel good about saving someone else’s life. Who knows, it could be your friend, co-worker, or even a member of your own family,” said Stewart.
There are some important things to remember before, during and after donating blood. Always remember before donating to get a good night’s sleep, drink plenty of fluids and eat a healthy meal three hours before donating. While donating, relax and find something to focus on before the donations such as listening to music, reading a book or talking to another donor. After donating, grab a snack and rest for a few minutes in the provided refreshments area, continue drinking fluids and avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity.
Before donating, each donor will have to answer a series of pre-donation questions. To save time, Donor Express is a great way to complete those questions online before going to donate. Anyone wishing to use it can access Donor Express by visiting obi.org on the day of the donation. After finishing all of the pre-donation questions, simply print a form containing several barcodes. These barcodes encode the answers, so donors will need to take it, along with a photo ID, and present it to the OBI staff. OBI staff will review responses and administer other health checks if needed to ensure that the donor is eligible and ready to donate. Donor Express will not only save time but also improve donor experience.
For any additional information regarding the blood drive contact Stewart at 580-327-8178.