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Saturday
March 13, 2010 Since 1922 |
LC blood drive breaks goal
By Travers La Ville
Correspondent Published November 13, 2009 Lee College and the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center (GCRBC) capped off another successful blood drive on Thursday.
“This year has been a tremendous success,” Campus Activities Coordinator Mike Spletter said. “ We have seen great turnout from our student body.”
The Student Government Association’s (SGA) goal for the drive was 450 units this year. The blood drive was in conjunction with a food drive - 10 canned items were accepted as one unit of blood.
“As a healthcare professional major, I am glad SGA gets a chance to help people,” SGA President Holly Rodriguez said.
The college donated a total of 488 units over the course of the three-day drive. Two hundred sixty units of the drive’s total came from blood collected by the GCRBC and 220 units were contributed from canned items.
The GCRBC says each unit of whole blood has the capability of saving three lives. The GCRBC supplies area hospitals that have run low on units.
“Blood donations save lives; there is no substitute,” the GCRBC Web site said. “That is why we encourage individuals to Commit for Life and donate at least once every quarter.”
Individuals donating during the blood drive were given three options of donations: whole blood, plasma and double red cell.
For a whole blood donation, about one pint of blood is collected and separated into its three components: plasma, platelets and red blood cells.
Plasma is the liquid portion of blood. It transports red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, which control bleeding, fight infection and provide nutrients. Burn and trauma patients frequently are given plasma transfusions to replace fluid loss.
Double red cell aperesis allows for the collection of two units of red cells from a single donation. The center says the advantage of the procedure is that you are able to give two units of red blood cells without any ill effects.
Donors went through a rigorous screening process to make sure they were in good health and the center would not receive contaminated blood.
“I couldn’t give today because of my eccema,” Lee College student Claire Smoke said. “It would contaminate the blood because the area where the needle would go can’t get as clean due to the roughness of the skin.”
The total time from screening to donating averaged 30 minutes per person. Donors were given cookies and juice to increase blood glucose levels and prevent dizziness or nausea. Many participants were in good spirits and happy to give.
“A pastor at my church got really sick,” Lee College student, Rashard Creeks said. “She was able to recover after a blood transfusion within a couple of days. That was the reason I wanted to donate today.”
Correspondent Published November 13, 2009 Lee College and the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center (GCRBC) capped off another successful blood drive on Thursday.
“This year has been a tremendous success,” Campus Activities Coordinator Mike Spletter said. “ We have seen great turnout from our student body.”
The Student Government Association’s (SGA) goal for the drive was 450 units this year. The blood drive was in conjunction with a food drive - 10 canned items were accepted as one unit of blood.
“As a healthcare professional major, I am glad SGA gets a chance to help people,” SGA President Holly Rodriguez said.
The college donated a total of 488 units over the course of the three-day drive. Two hundred sixty units of the drive’s total came from blood collected by the GCRBC and 220 units were contributed from canned items.
The GCRBC says each unit of whole blood has the capability of saving three lives. The GCRBC supplies area hospitals that have run low on units.
“Blood donations save lives; there is no substitute,” the GCRBC Web site said. “That is why we encourage individuals to Commit for Life and donate at least once every quarter.”
Individuals donating during the blood drive were given three options of donations: whole blood, plasma and double red cell.
For a whole blood donation, about one pint of blood is collected and separated into its three components: plasma, platelets and red blood cells.
Plasma is the liquid portion of blood. It transports red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, which control bleeding, fight infection and provide nutrients. Burn and trauma patients frequently are given plasma transfusions to replace fluid loss.
Double red cell aperesis allows for the collection of two units of red cells from a single donation. The center says the advantage of the procedure is that you are able to give two units of red blood cells without any ill effects.
Donors went through a rigorous screening process to make sure they were in good health and the center would not receive contaminated blood.
“I couldn’t give today because of my eccema,” Lee College student Claire Smoke said. “It would contaminate the blood because the area where the needle would go can’t get as clean due to the roughness of the skin.”
The total time from screening to donating averaged 30 minutes per person. Donors were given cookies and juice to increase blood glucose levels and prevent dizziness or nausea. Many participants were in good spirits and happy to give.
“A pastor at my church got really sick,” Lee College student, Rashard Creeks said. “She was able to recover after a blood transfusion within a couple of days. That was the reason I wanted to donate today.”