IU has history of blood donation

Spelling out a message of "we need you," the Red Cross Blood Drive advertisement stood as a solitary SOS, describing the demand for donors Monday in front of the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center at 730 E. Third St. \nThe need for blood is daily, and IU has become a regular stop for the Red Cross. \nCollege campuses are among the highest contributors to blood donation programs across the nation, said Bonnie Newson, a licensed nurse practitioner with the Monroe County Red Cross.\n"We are meeting our demand due to college and high school students throughout the country," Newson said. "We are always absolutely swamped whenever we come here. Students are just very eager to help out."\nAnd IU is no stranger when it comes to stepping up and donating. Documents from the Monroe County Chapter of the Red Cross show that donations were made into the three and four hundreds during the blood drives conducted at IU in the 1980s and 1990s, said Red Cross representative Don Creek.\n"IU is 100 percent of my focus for the future of this chapter's blood donation program. We are currently hiring an additional crew to hold drives specifically at the IU campus," Creek said. "I have convinced the Red Cross that IU is the future of donating in Indiana." \nHired last year, Creek quickly began work on increasing awareness of the need of blood donations on the IU campus, organizing as many places to donate as volunteers were willing to staff.\n"I will hold a drive as long as little as three dozen people will commit to donate," Creek said. "As long as I have those kinds of numbers, I will go to IU everyday."\nAt any given time, 60 percent of the population is eligible to donate blood, but only 5 percent of those eligible take the initiative to give, according to Red Cross statistics. To Creek, this is a problem of education.\n"Blood donation seems to be a generational trend. We could change the culture if we got the word out. Most people are eligible to give blood six times a year. The average person only gives once," Creek said. \nWith a higher donation rate, Creek explains that more and more transplants and transfusions could be completed within a smaller amount of time if doctors were given the reassurance that an adequate amount of blood was constantly available. \nThe IU community contributes 40 percent of Monroe County's blood donations and with 512 units of blood collected so far this semester, Creek looks optimistically for the future. \n"We have increased our donations by 15 percent. The students at IU have come through significantly," Creek said. \nFor junior Julia Snowden, giving blood has become a regular and rewarding experience.\n"I try to give as much as I can," Snowden said. "I like the idea that this is a more personal way to help someone. When you donate money you are never sure exactly where it ends up or what it goes to but with giving blood, you know that it will be used to help save a person's life." \nThough drives appear in different campus neighborhoods throughout the year, Creek ensures it takes donations made on a regular basis to really keep up with the demand. \nIn fact, starting Nov. 1, a new Red Cross team hired solely for work on the IU campus will begin a mobilized blood drive tour. The team is available for wherever IU wants them, Creek said. \n"I want to challenge the IU community to continue the donation process as part of a regular routine," Creek said. "You are eligible to give every eight weeks. We are working to make the donating process as quick and comfortable as possible. Your donations really do make a difference." \nAs part of his vision for IU's relationship with donating in the future, Creek looks to put together a Red Cross Club on campus. He feels as though leadership is an important aspect of increasing awareness for the cause. \n"I'm looking for volunteers to help me start traditions. There is someone out there who really needs your gift of life," Creek said. "We know IU is red hot, and if you can plan a party, you can plan a blood drive. Just pick a date and invite a few nice people; I'll bring the snacks"