Donors will receive movie tickets.
By Linda Owens
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center will accept donations 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 16 in the mall west of Moody Learning Center.
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Students who plan to donate blood should be hydrated and have a healthy meal at least two to four hours before, corporate communications specialist Roger Ruiz said during a phone interview Oct. 15.
“The screening process should take an hour so be sure to take some water with you,” he said.
Students will receive a wellness check before donating. This includes checking blood pressure, temperature and iron, Ruiz said.
“Actually, the blood donation will only take about five to 10 minutes, it’s the wellness check that takes most of the time,” he said. “The blood bank technicians want to make sure the donor is healthy to donate their blood.”
The blood bank is critically short of all blood types rebounding from a summertime shortage, Ruiz said.
“Currently, we are very short of type O positive and negative, but all types are welcome,” Ruiz said.
The blood bank expects to collect at least 60 units of blood, Ruiz said.
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“Each unit of blood may save three lives,” Ruiz said.
Whole blood units are delivered to the corporate office. It will be tested for blood borne pathogens and separated into three parts, he said.
“Red blood cells are separated and they carry oxygen, which are vital to organs.
“Platelets are necessary for clotting and the plasma which is the liquid in blood all are vital components of whole blood,” Ruiz said
If donors have type O positive or negative, they will receive two movie tickets to Alamo Draft House; all other blood types will receive one movie ticket, he said.
“This is to encourage everyone to donate and compensate them for their time,” he said.
According to the website, 39% of the population has type O positive; it is the most common blood type.
The blood bank serves 67 hospitals and 43 countries are dependent upon blood donations, according to the website.
For more information, contact southtexasblood.org.
