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Annual blood drive ranks Metro in Bonfils' top 10
By Michael Godfrey
mgodfre3@mscd.edu

More than 250 students donated blood during a two-day blood drive hosted by Bonfils Blood Center on Oct. 4 and 5 in the North Classroom building.

Students who were in good health and weighed at least 110 pounds were encouraged to help the hundreds of people who depend on donated blood throughout Colorado.

“Colorado’s hospitals need blood badly,” said Wendy Vance, a business development representative from Bonfils. Blood donors give about a pint of blood, or one unit.

“Up to three lives are saved or enhanced for every pint of blood that is donated,” said Amy Russell, a representative from the blood center.

Blood centers around the country currently collect a two- to three-day supply of blood, but Bonfil’s goal has been to have a much bigger reserve.

“Many states have a two- to three-day supply,” said Lila Jimenez, an account manager for the center. “Our goal since Columbine has been to have a five- to seven-day reserve.”

“Donations of blood are only good for about 42 days. If we don’t use it by then, the blood goes bad,” Vance said. “So students who donate once a year are really only giving about a month’s supply of blood.”

Auraria Campus has helped Bonfils in achieving that goal, and in 2005 the center presented the Auraria Campus with the Outstanding Blood Drive Award for providing the community with more than 800 units of blood.

“Auraria Campus donates around 1,000 units a year, making it one of our top ten accounts,” Vance said.

Another benefit of coming to Auraria is that the center has a lot of first-time donors from the campus. More than 89 of the students who donated over the two-day period were first-time donors, something Jimenez said is very important.

“People who donate for the first time are especially important,” Jimenez said. “They develop a habit after the first time to do it again and again. That’s something that can help our cause even more.”

Jimenez mentioned that most students are more than willing to donate, but some are reluctant.

“The biggest fear students have are of the needles or of fainting,” Jimenez said, “But most of them got over that by either donating with a friend or learning about the whole process.”

“There are risks,” said Jillian Hensley, a UCD student. “But it’s a personal choice, and I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart.”

Most students who donated blood agreed that it just felt like the right thing to do, saying it was a chance to help out in the community.

“Subconsciously it seemed like a good idea,” said UCD student Michelle Balken.

Students who donated were given cookies, juice and crackers to help them recover. Bonfils also entered students in raffles for gift certificates to places like REI and the bookstore on campus.

“I’d donate blood for the free cookies alone,” said Metro student Dakota Sillox.

The next Bonfils drive will be on campus on Nov. 28 and 30, just after the fall break.