A Pint for a Cause

On April 2nd and 3rd at 2:00pm, in the HUB Hage Room, students, along with residents of Plymouth will be able to help decrease the nations blood shortages. The Plymouth State University Blood Drive has been an annual event, taking place every October and April to donate his or her blood.

According to the donor escorts, half of the donors that come in are students, while the other half is made up of escorts. James Dube has ran the event for the past two and half years. Dube, along with the donor escorts, take in scheduled appointments. There is a list of requirements everyone needs to complete in order to give blood; one requirement being that a patient must weigh at least 110 lbs or over in order to donate.

Nurses Gayle McCarthy and Bobbie Tibbitts have been part of the Red Cross for the past eight years, visiting campuses all over New Hampshire in order to meet the demands of the blood shortages that have developed in the past few years. At the beginning of every month, the Red Cross gives away a reward for blood donations, this month being a free sub at Subway. McCarthy and Tibbitts supervise the volunteers helping with the patients, while the Blood Escorts provided snacks, help set up the stations, and give out packets about the Red Cross.

Dube described how giving blood can be healthy for the average human body.  By making the body work a little harder to replace the blood being given away, it refreshes the body with new healthy blood cells. Not only do donors feel good about donating, they are also helping themselves in the process. However,  not everyone is suited to be a donor.

The rejection rate for Plymouth State has been very low in past years. Rejection is usually due to people losing consciousness on the table or the nurse not being able to find a blood vessel. Anyone can register at the Blood Drive, granted they pass an examination to see if their blood is healthy enough to pass onto another person.

PSU has been an active member in the American Red Cross Blood Drives for many years. Students who volunteer learn to take the initiative in giving blood to a person who needs it. The Red Cross always needs volunteers, and with the nation’s blood shortage, more donors will be needed.

Spreading awareness and the importance of Blood Drives is what the American Red Cross has excelled in for quite some time. Blood donations have not been limited to universities, but community colleges have also held drives where students can donate for the cause.