The winter term blood drive is fast approaching! The blood drive will take place from February 4-6 in the Great Hall and will once again bring in Be the Match to recruit donors. Be the Match is a national registry that matches patients with blood marrow donors. Signing up is easy and just requires answering a few questions and a mouth swab. Be the Match will have a table at the blood drive where participants can register and get swabbed, making it easier than ever for those on campus to register and potentially save a life.
To donate, you must be in good general health and feeling well, be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 lbs, and not have donated blood in the last 56 days. For further details on donation eligibility, visit the Red Cross’s website. Donating takes a total of about 40 minutes and can be scheduled at redcrossblood.org or a walk-in. After donating, participants are treated to pizza and juice boxes and other snacks to help them recover. The program is almost entirely student-run, so even if you’re unable to donate blood you can still be involved. The program is always looking for volunteers. Students help check donors in, set up the space for the drive, and clean up afterwards. To get involved, email thurowm@carleton.edu
Last year, Carleton had three two-day blood drives, collecting a total of 291 units of blood and continuing to be a Red Cross Premier Partner. This year, students helped expand the blood drive to three days and in the fall term of this year alone we collected 139 units of blood, putting us on track to donate 417 units this year—-a total which could save up to 1,251 lives.
Volunteering at the blood drive is easier than ever. If you have 40 minutes free, stop by, have a snack, and save a life! For more information, visit the CCCE website or email thurowm@carleton.edu.