Blood
Drive encourages students to donate
By Yoshinori Okada
On-line Forty-Niner
Cal
State Long Beach, in association with the
American Red Cross, is hosting a blood drive
in the USU Ballroom that will continue through
Thursday.
 The
Red Cross is the sole nonprofit blood supplier,
distributing blood to local hospitals in
Southern California through blood drives
held in places such as CSULB.
An adequate blood supply is essential for
patients undergoing surgery and patients
with cancer and blood diseases, such as
sickle cell anemia and hemophilia, according
to Jennifer Broderick, a donor recruitment
consultant for the Red Cross.
“Ninety-seven percent of the population
will need blood-bottled products or know
[someone who will] in their lifetime and
only 3 percent of Southern Californians
actually donate blood,” Broderick said.
Since the donated blood supply is perishable,
it must constantly be replenished, Broderick
said.
“In Southern California, we use up to 1,500
units a day at 160 local hospitals,” she
said.
Associated Students Inc. hosts the drive
every semester and has seen an increasing
amount of blood from donors because of students’
better understanding of the importance of
donating blood, said Thomas DeClerk, A.S.I.
community service commissioner.
First time participant Stephanie Libel had
personal reasons for attending.
“My little brother had a blood fusion one
time. It’s good to give blood because you
never know when you might need it,” said
Libel, an undeclared freshman.
The blood donated at CSULB will to go to
160 local hospitals after it is tested,
it will be used the week of Thanksgiving,
which is a critical time when more accidents
occur, Broderick said.
The process for donating blood requires
about 40 to 60 minutes and includes a questionnaire
on background information, DeClerck said.
This fall semester, nearly 400 students
have signed up as donors and DeClerk said
he is expecting many walk-in donors to show
up.
“We’ve had a good turnout so far but we
encourage people to definitely come here
for the next two days. Blood is always needed,”
Broderick said.
The drive will be open tomorrow from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. at the USU Ballroom. For more
information regarding the blood donation,
call (562) 432-6753 for the American Red
Cross.
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