A campus blood drive this week will give students, faculty and the general public the chance to save lives. Blood drive scheduled for April 21 at TAMUSA
The Mays Center for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement and Human Resources, in collaboration with South Texas Blood and Tissue, is hosting the event, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21 in Lot 2 near the auditorium.
The blood drive, according to event organizer Clarissa Tejeda, is a part of an ongoing initiative every few months to ensure a consistent supply of blood for emergencies and continuing medical needs.
The most recent drive was in February, and another is scheduled for September.
“There’s always a need for blood supply,” said Tejeda, director of Employer Relations and Community Outreach at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. “It supports not just San Antonio, but the surrounding region, especially during emergencies and for patients who require transfusions.”
Space is limited because the event will take place in a mobile donation unit. JagSync includes a link to the South Texas Blood and Tissue page where donors can register for the campus blood drive. Appointment slots are offered every 20 minutes, although the unit can only hold a certain number of donors at a time.
The April drive is expected to draw between 20 and 35 donors. Community involvement is crucial because around 62% of Americans are eligible to donate blood, Tejeda said.
About two months before the event, organizers coordinated logistics, scheduling, insurance and marketing. Outreach using social media and university portals like JagSync is part of marketing.
Tejeda said the crew makes an effort to make the drive as accessible as possible, even though planning the event has some difficulties, such as finding a time that works around campus traffic and class schedules.
“There’s never a perfect time,” Tejeda said. “But we make an effort to pick a time when people can easily stop by and are already on campus.”
Tejeda also urged anyone who might be reluctant to donate to talk to experts at the donation location.
“They will guide you through the entire process because they have experience,” she said. Even though I was terrified of needles, they helped me feel at ease. Remembering that you’re saving lives and that it’s bigger than you is incredibly helpful.
