Students donate blood to American Red Cross, help save lives

Jordan Haiduk / The Bulletin

Since the blood drive was a competition against Fort Hays State it was imperative that ESU students got involved. Senior and history major John Bowman takes time out of his day to donate blood.

Webb Lecture Hall was transformed into a blood bank yesterday as students lined up to donate a pint of blood in hopes of saving a life. The annual Emporia State Blood Drive began Wednesday and will continue throughout today.

“Xi Phi’s spring blood drive is currently taking place,” said Ashley Brooks, junior elementary education major and committee head for the Xi Phi blood drive. The drive is open to all students and to the Emporia community. We really encourage everyone to donate.”

Xi Phi is an honorary fraternity on campus. Each fall and spring the organization hosts a blood drive. The current blood drive is being sponsored by Xi Phi along with Caduceus, a pre-med organization, as well as the American Red Cross. To prepare for the event the groups joined forces to publicize the upcoming blood drive.

The blood drive is not only an opportunity for students to provide for a cause but to participate in a competition as well. Each year a competition is held in the spring between ESU and Fort Hays State. The university collecting the most pints of blood is declared the winner.

“The competition takes place only during the spring blood drive,” Brooks said. “The winning school receives a trophy. Fort Hays has now had the trophy for four years straight and we are really hoping to win the trophy back. We need many students to donate so we can do this.”

When students entered Webb Lecture Hall to participate in the blood drive, they were first asked to read through a booklet of guidelines. The guidelines book spells out exactly what is necessary for a person to be able to give blood. After understanding the guidelines, blood donors progressed through a health screening process.

Participants’ blood pressure, pulse and iron levels were measured and they were asked to complete 39 questions throughout the health screening. Upon completion of the screening the actual drawing of blood takes place.

“Blood donators are only in the actual blood drawing chairs for anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes,” said Bev Kerbs, Donor Recruitment Representative for the American Red Cross center in Wichita. “The entire process including paperwork, health screening, donation and recovery process takes anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes.”

After giving blood, participants are taken to the canteen where they can recuperate. The canteen has food, water and places for blood donors to sit and relax. Donors are also given a free Red Cross t-shirt for their blood donation.

Some students arrived at the blood drive very nervous for their first blood donation.

“I am actually really terrified of needles and extremely nervous to donate, but I feel like the blood drive is such a good cause and someday I might need blood,” said Lacee Hanson, freshman undeclared major.

Other students had a very positive experience giving blood and plan to do continue to donate in the future.

“I have donated before and it went really well as [it] did this time,” said Drake Foster, freshman social sciences major. “I donate because I want to be able to save a life and this is the only way I know how to.”