Cal State Monterey’s latest blood drive met its donation goal with 45 donors giving 6.7 gallons of blood. But on a campus with thousands of students, it gets hard not to wonder why more people didn’t show up.
Not everyone can give blood, but I wonder about all those who are eligible to donate, but given the opportunity still choose not to. However, this isn’t just a CSUMB problem. Only three out of every 100 age eligible Americans donate blood, according to Aileen Blomdal, regional communications manager for the American Red Cross. Older adults make up a significant portion of the nation’s most dedicated blood donors.
“Although you’re never too old to donate blood, we understand that the Silent and Boomer Generation might be aging out of the donor pool; so, we are hopeful to see the younger generations begin to fill their place,” Blomdal said.
College campuses are an obvious place to find the next generation of blood donors. The Red Cross knows that, and they have been actively working to get younger people in the donation chairs.
Blomdal pointed to recent collaborations with PEANUTS and Hello Kitty to bring in new donors. Collaborations include T-shirts and promotional material.
But at a certain point, Snoopy and Hello Kitty can only do so much.
The Campus Health Center can bring a blood drive to us, and the Red Cross can find creative ways to get our attention, but neither can make eligible students donate. We have to be willing to show up.
For eligible students who are hesitant because of the time commitment, donating only takes about an hour from start to finish, according to Blomdal. The actual donation only takes about 8-10 minutes. A single donation can help save more than one life.
An hour of your day can give someone else another chance.
And yes, there is a needle involved. Even Blomdal admits she hates them.
“It’s worth the discomfort. As someone who hates needles and gets light-headed easily, I’ve found my ways of coping, and the phlebotomists are always there to help and take care of you. I know that I am saving at least one life and that gives me strength to sit through a donation,” Blomdal said.
Donating blood isn’t my favorite way to spend an hour either, but I have learned a few things that make the process easier: drinking plenty of water beforehand (makes it easier for them to find the vein), bring headphones to distract yourself, and pack yummy snacks for afterward.
None of that makes getting stuck with a needle fun, but it makes it a little easier to manage the discomfort.
It can be easy to assume there will always be blood available when someone needs it. This previous summer showed how quickly that assumption can be proven wrong.
In July, the American Red Cross declared only the second national blood supply crisis in its history. Blood donations had fallen to a four year summer low. The situation became so serious that the Red Cross began limiting distributions of type O blood to hospitals to preserve it for patients facing the most critical, life threatening emergencies.
These shortages happen when donations do not keep up with the need. During the July crisis, the Red Cross said just three additional donors at each blood drive could help stabilize the supply.
We may assume someone else will donate, but blood onlye comes from people who show up.
The next time a blood drive comes to CSUMB, I want to see more eligible students roll up their sleeves. This drive brought 45 donors. Next drive, let’s beat that. None of us knows when we or someone we might love might depend on a stranger making the same choice.
The next CSUMB blood drive needs you.