Huntington Hospital hosted a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 13 in a van in the Campus Center Mall in commemoration of 9/11.
The hospital’s Blood Donor Center recruiter Ida Diaz stressed the importance of donating blood.
“People should donate blood, because it’s our lifeline,” Diaz said. “People don’t typically think about donating blood and know the importance of donating blood until it hits home, until someone you know has either a disease that requires blood.”
Diaz said blood donations are used for people with diseases, including cancer patients, and victims of traumatic accidents.
Although students do not get paid for donating blood, many said they enjoy the satisfaction of helping someone in need.
“It’s always been a little tradition when I donate blood on campus,” said Rebecca Torres, a Citrus College student. “It would help me feel good. I mostly do it for the generosity.”
Aside from helping out the community, Diaz said there are health benefits from donating blood.
“(Donating blood) stimulates your bone marrow so your body is going to produce fresh red cells,” Diaz said. “So, your body gets new red cells. You’ve got fresh oxygen, which pushes your cells through your body.”
Huntington Hospital registered nurse Lorraine McPherson said donating blood reduces iron levels in men. High iron can thicken the blood and lead to congestive heart failure. McPherson said donation can cause weight loss, and is rewarding.
“It’s good from an altruistic point of view, different from a physical level, a mental level,” McPherson said.
McPherson said the drive was sucessful, averaging 24 donors per day. She said the hospital does not profit from the collection of blood but saves money by not having to purchase it from the Red Cross.
A Red Cross representative in its blood services department named Daniel said the organization does not charge for blood. He would not give his last name. Red Cross was emailed a question about pricing today, but has not responded.
The Huntington Hospital staff recommends waiting eight weeks before a previous blood donation. Repeated donation can lead to fatigue, iron deficiency and in rare cases, anemia.
Men are required to abstain from homosexual sex for one year before donation.
Editor-in-chief James Duffy contributed to this article.
This article was updated for grammar on Sept.13.
