The New Jersey Blood Center, a division of the New York Blood Center, was at MCCC’s student center on the West Windsor campus on September 30th from 10 am to 4 pm for a fall blood donation drive.
Many students were able to walk in and donate. The organizers asked that students sign up in advance, but walk-ins were welcomed.
Incentives were offered in the form of a free t-shirt and beanie, though for most students, that was not why they chose to donate.
Dan Basquiara, a nursing major, said about his first time donating “I feel like it’s like any kind of community service, like you could help.”
According to Lisa Shave, a professor at Mercer and the program coordinator of the Medical Lab Tech program, the college hosts a minimum of four blood drives per calendar year, during which they typically collect a total of 35 units of blood, which has the potential to save up to 105 lives. This year, the Medical Lab Tech Club organized and sponsored the Blood Drive.
Shave says, “[It] really helps those in need in the community, because every day a patient somewhere at some point in time, really every minute, needs a blood transfusion, whether it’s red cells or plasma or platelets. I think what’s most exciting is being able to offer it on our campus.”
Lisa Shave confirmed that 35 units were successfully collected, which have the potential to help save up to 105 lives within the community.
The New York Blood Center account manager, Tomasz Lunieswi, who helped coordinate the event, said there are misconceptions about who can donate.
Lunieswi said, “So, number one misconception is that if you had a tattoo, you can’t donate. That is completely untrue. If you had a tattoo in New Jersey, you can donate literally after your tattoo is completely healed.”
People also wonder if they can’t give because of the medications they take.
Lunieswi said, “Also, if you take a different type of medication, blood pressure medications, if you’re diabetic, you can’t donate. That’s also not true. Because then we wouldn’t be able to collect blood from anybody. Because a lot of people are diabetic and are on blood pressure medicine.”
According to the New York Blood Center’s website, “our area faces a high demand for blood. Close to 2,000 donations are needed each day in the New York/New Jersey community.”
Lunieswi explained that the NYBC runs up to twenty community blood drives per day, and even more on weekends.
Many schools, including high schools in the area, offer blood drives, and anyone over 16 (with parents’ permission), is able to donate.
According to Shave, MCCC aims to host two blood drives per semester, spaced eight weeks apart, so that students who donated the first time are eligible to donate again if they’d like.
Professor Shave says, “I am actually a Blood Bank Medical Laboratory Scientist, where I work in the hospital setting. Although being a professor is my full-time role, I still work per diem at a hospital, where I see firsthand the need for blood products that go to patients.”
Lunieswi says, “The need for blood never stops. It’s 24-7.”
