BRIEF: Blood drive on campus

The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be on campus next Thursday, March 16 for students, faculty and staff to donate blood. The event will be held in front of the Allied Health & Sciences Building from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

As the nation’s blood supply fell dangerously low at the beginning of 2022, the Red Cross made efforts to overcome the shortage and stabilize the supply nationwide. A shortage or blood emergency is defined as fewer than five days supply across the nation, but currently no such emergency exists. The Red Cross is working to maintain the current level and exceed it.

It is essential for the American Red Cross to maintain the level of blood supply across the nation to battle cancer, receive a transfusion for a blood disorder or undergo surgery. In order to ensure that, the organization uses every means to remind Americans of an ongoing need for blood donation. The organization’s main concern is the fact that blood is a perishable product, so the need for donation is constant. However, despite all the efforts from the Red Cross, more than 900 hospitals nationwide reported a decrease in their blood supplies at the end of January 2023, triggering an emergency for the nonprofit blood service providers.

If students and staff are interested in donating blood next Thursday, visit the Red Cross website and use the sponsor code “LAVC” to schedule an appointment.

— By Sayeh Saadat, Staff Writer