By Wyatt Morgan
The Meek Blood Center will have two bloodmobiles parked in between the Brown Library and Hardin Administration Building on Wednesday and will be accepting walk-in blood donations. Students interested in giving blood show up to either bloodmobile between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., with a photo ID and a full stomach.
Frances Baker, the donor recruiter for Meek Blood Center, emphasized the importance of giving blood.
“There is no substitute for human blood, and this is why we encourage any willing participate to give this precious gift,” Baker said.
Cancer patients are typically the number one users of the blood donated at these drives. Baker hopes to have more than 100 students participate in Wednesday’s blood drive. The last time the bloodmobiles visited ACU only about 50 participants showed up, possibly due to the rainy weather that day.
Baker said blood is always in high demand, but especially lately because many regular donors have not been able to donate because of the flu case outbreaks this season.
“I feel like the students at ACU are service-oriented and willing to participate in things as important as this,” Baker said.
Tanner Hamilton, sophomore biology major from Fort Worth, is a frequent blood donor.
“Giving blood is a simple act that makes an enormous difference in the life of someone in need of a transfusion,” Hamilton said. “There isn’t much that is easier or more fulfilling than knowing someone is benefiting from a mere 45 minutes taken out of my daily schedule.”
In the past, individuals who had received tattoos or piercings within 12 months were prohibited from donating blood. However Baker said that rule has now been waived if the tattoos or piercings were received in Texas. This rule was in place to completely eliminate the possibility of hepatitis defecting a donated blood supply, but stricter regulations have been set in place at Texas tattoo and piercing parlors, minimizing the risk.
Donors will not leave the bloodmobiles empty-handed. Baker said donors may receive a t-shirt and plenty of snacks.
