Daphne Nwobike
Staff Writer
Sewanee has had its fair share of blood drives, at least one blood drive is held per semester. On February 6, the Sewanee Multicultural Health Society will host a blood drive in partnership with Blood Assurance. The blood drive will take place inside a bloodmobile next to the library. Although people know that blood donations happen, they may not understand the importance of donating blood. Speaking with Lindsey Ahrndt (C ‘27)—president of the Sewanee Multicultural Health Society and organizer of the upcoming blood drive—provided the opportunity to learn about the significance of blood donations.
Why blood drives? “Every two seconds, someone needs a blood transfusion,” said Ahrndt. The need for donations is constant, especially because blood doesn’t have a long shelf life despite being needed every day in hospital settings. Having blood ready for transfusion could be the main difference between life and death in critical situations. Blood drives are also important because they help prepare for dire situations. According to Ahrndt, “oftentimes, people really only donate whenever there are big disasters, which is good because there’s a lot of need. But what happens is that during times when there’s not a tragedy, that’s when supplies are the lowest.”
Participating in blood drives is one of many ways to be a good neighbor and give back to those around you. For individuals who cannot participate in blood drives due to health reasons, it is possible to contribute to the cause by volunteering during the drive, assisting with promoting the event, and encouraging others to donate. The donated blood will be given to the Southern Tennessee Regional Health System here in Sewanee. This provides students, faculty, staff, and other residents of the mountain with the assurance that they have a reliable hospital to depend on should critical moments arise. Ahrndt remarked on the importance of this, noting that “it’s fulfilling local needs.”
It is incredible that Blood Assurance is providing the opportunity to have such an impactful event on campus. Based on the organization’s website, “Blood Assurance is a nonprofit, full-service regional blood center serving healthcare facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina.” With all these locations, Blood Assurance hopes that people will take advantage of their 15 locations and 19 blood automobiles. If you’re a student hoping to contribute to the blood drive, here are a few important facts to remember. On the day of, bring proof of identification, whether it is a driver’s license or state ID—anything with your address and birthday. Sleep well the night before, eat a good meal, and drink lots of water. The more water you drink, the faster the process will go since you’ll have more fluids. Also, avoid caffeine and alcohol at least 24 hours in advance because alcohol can “dehydrate you,” while caffeine can “take iron out of your blood, which can make some people not qualify to give blood,” said Ahrndt. Giving blood is beneficial to donors as well, as they can also receive important information about themselves. Arndth explained, “They will tell you your blood type, and when they do their scans, if they see anything that is particularly alarming, they will let you know.” This signifies that there is a mutual exchange for all parties involved in the blood drive process. Everyone will be given snacks and drinks when they’re done with their donation.
This is your chance to make a positive impact, and you don’t want to miss it! “Tell your friends to sign up and make a difference!” said Ahrndt. To sign up for the blood drive, please use this link: https://donor.bloodassurance.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/156795, and reach out to Lindsay at ahrndlm0@sewanee.edu if you have any questions!