The American Red Cross visited campus Tuesday to host a blood drive donation event for St. Thomas students and faculty.
For the first time ever, the Red Cross declared a national blood shortage in January 2022 amid the omicron variant surge. It’s the worst blood shortage in over a decade, posing a major health threat.
According to the American Red Cross, the reason for the blood shortage crisis is due to the blood donation decline since March 2020 because of COVID-19 cancellations, staffing limitations and health uncertainty.
“With everything going on with COVID, some places don’t want to host blood drives with staff shortages which decreases production level. Places don’t feel comfortable with the COVID restrictions we have to follow,” Red Cross team leader Aaron Slaeghter said.
Slaeghter has been working for the American Red Cross for almost 15 years. He emphasized the importance of donating blood, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blood donations are needed to prevent delays in vital medical treatments. Some medical care can’t wait and needs to be addressed quickly, and a blood donation can help prevent that delay, according to the Red Cross.
“Advertise, advertise, advertise. Get more places to have a room available for us,” Slaeghter said.
St. Thomas junior Grace McGill came to donate blood as a challenge for herself.
“I’m trying to push myself out of my comfort zone. I haven’t done it since high school, so I wanted to do it again,” McGill said.
McGill is just one of the many student volunteers who took time out of their day to donate blood to save a life.
The Center for Well-Being and the Pre-Health Professions Club worked alongside the Red Cross at the blood drive.
Student volunteers Maddie Weber and Natalie Rydeen are part of the Pre-Health Professions Club. This is the club’s second semester volunteer project.
The Pre-Health Professions Club is dedicated to students who want to pursue a career in the health field. The club offers students opportunities to meet professionals, volunteer at events like the blood drive and form connections.
“We are getting people set up so that the nurses can get them started through the process,” Rydeen said.
The American Red Cross hosts blood drives at schools, community centers, churches and more. Their website lists all nearby donation centers based on ZIP code.
The Red Cross makes donating blood an easy and effective way to give back to the community and help save lives. Signing up to be a host center, volunteer or give a financial donation are also offered through the Red Cross. One donation can save up to three lives, according to the Red Cross slogan.
Macy Berendsen can be reached at macy.berendsen@stthomas.edu.