Red Cross in critical need of blood donations, blood drives to be held on campus
The Red Cross is an emergency and disaster prevention and aid organization, fully functioning on the participation of volunteers and donors. The Red Cross coordinates the collection of lifesaving blood products to be distributed to hospitals and patients in need.
According to the Red Cross website, amidst the COVID health crisis arose the worst blood shortage the Red Cross has seen in over a decade. Without proper access to lifesaving blood supplies, hospitals have to defer patients from necessary surgeries such as organ transplants.
The SUNY Geneseo Red Cross Club is an active branch of the organization that provides Red Cross services to the Geneseo community, including blood drives and blood testing. The Red Cross Club is holding two Blood Drives on campus per semester to help alleviate the current blood shortage crisis.
According to Rachel Bernheimer, a junior biology major and the club’s Blood Drive Coordinator, their current goal for drives this semester is approximately 68 donors, expecting a goal of 40 or 45 pints.
“Generally, we want to have more appointments than our goal of pints, because some people come in and get denied. So, if we have 60 people signed up, and 15 of them get denied, we can still reach our goal of 40 or 45 pints of blood,” Bernheimer said.
The goal for each blood drive has increased compared to recent years, due to both the national blood shortage and a change in location.
According to Bernheimer, “We used to do blood drives at the Interfaith Center when the ballroom was under construction. We had a lower goal there because we knew not as many people would know about it or come; now that we’re in the union we have a higher goal. And right now, we're in the middle of a really bad crisis, and our goal is much, much higher as a result. It really depends on a lot of factors.”
According to the Red Cross website, volunteers are an essential part of conducting and maintaining local blood drives. Kathryn Soloman, senior biology major and Vice President of the Red Cross Club, began volunteering in order to gain experience in the pre-med field and to help others in her community.
Soloman said, “I got started because I'm pre-med, and this is a really good way to get experience and volunteer hours for applying to any graduate program. The [Red Cross] club is always looking for new volunteers; it’s a great club to join and move up in, we have a lot of e-board positions open.”
Soloman encouraged students to donate now due to the national blood shortage, and to think about how a donation might directly impact a patient’s life.
“You’re doing something really good for your community, even if your blood doesn’t necessarily stay local. For instance, when I donated, my blood went to someone in Rochester. Even if they’re not in our community, it’s good to donate and think about how you’re helping someone,” Soloman said.
In order to donate, students can register on the Red Cross’ website, or by scanning the QR code on the Red Cross Club flyers around campus. Blood drives this semester will take place in the Union Ballroom on Monday, Feb. 14 and Tuesday, Feb. 15. For the month of February, donors will automatically receive a $10 Amazon gift card from the Red Cross upon confirmation of their donation.