By MALLORY PARUSZEWSKI
Senior Reporter
The Northwestern blood drive is back once again.
Our Blood Institute blood drive is going to be here at Northwestern on today from 10 am to 5 pm. The blood drive will take place in the student center ranger room and is open to the public.
For more information on the donation process contact Kaylyn Hansen, klhansen@nwosu.edu.
OBI has 16 centers in the nation. Them being in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas.
OBI is a nonprofit blood provider for 240 hospitals across three states. OBI has nine donor centers in Oklahoma, 9% of the blood collected supplies 160 hospitals, medical facilities and air ambulances in Oklahoma.
OBI centers are located in Ada, Ardmore, Central Oklahoma City, Edmond, Enid, Lawton, Norman, Northwest Oklahoma City, and Tulsa.
The “Our Blood Institute” was founded in Oklahoma City more than 50 years ago and their headquarters still remain there.
Only 7% of the population is O negative and it is the highest needed blood type because it is used the most during emergencies.
Although O negative is rare, the need for O positive is in high demand because it’s the most frequently occurring blood type which is 37% of the population. O positive is given to patients more than any other blood type, which is why people consider it the most needed blood type.
Those with O negative type blood are encouraged to donate but all are needed.
AB is the universal blood type for people who donate plasma, it’s asked that AB negative and AB positive donate plasma if they are willing to.
Those with AB positive can actually receive blood from any donors but can only give to AB positive.
Even though blood types are different for everyone, there are blood types that can be a higher risk for health conditions. People with blood type A or B are at a high risk for blood clots, heart attacks and strokes. Type AB is at risk for strokes and Inflammation.
Type O blood types are at a slightly lower risk for thrombosis, blood clots, strokes and heart attacks, but not risk free.
Why donate? Blood donations help anyone in need, in your community or in the world.
One donation from one person can save up to three lives.
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood but only 10% of eligible donors will end up actually donating.
People who donate blood regularly, keep the blood supply stable.
More than one thousand donations are needed every day for hospitals in surrounding areas.
OBI donates the blood to hospitals but they also use it for research. After 2 years of trying OBI recently has developed a serum for Cancer therapy, the serum was developed using plasma that was donated to OBI.
Every time the OBI visits they have snacks and drinks for donors after they have donated and limited t-shirts to encourage them to tell their friends or come back.
