UALR faculty, staff, and students came out by the dozens to donate blood to the American Red Cross.
The semester’s first blood drive, held Sept. 26 in the University Commons, drew more than 50 people. The campus wound up exceeding its goal of 30 units, donating 45 in all.
Staff Senate committee members Jennifer Godwin, Rikki Turner, Jamie Jilka, Eric Battershell, Chelsea Bishop Ward, Betty Cameron, Joshua Thomsen, Janet Dotson, and Valarie Abrams all helped out at the drive, providing Red Cross employees assistance with registering donors. Dan Shelton also lent a hand.
The donations by our campus filled a direct and urgent need at several of our area hospitals. According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. Type O is the blood type most often requested by hospitals.
The need for donations is constant. One person’s blood donation may help up to three people. Donated red blood cells have a shelf-life of up to 42 days, and a healthy donor may donate every 56 days.
UALR’s next blood drive will be Nov. 21 and 22 on Court 2 in the DSC Fitness Center.
