One MP3 player will be given to one of the participants in the upcoming ETSU at Kingsport blood drive. The Marsh Regional Blood Center will be holding the blood drive Tuesday, Feb. 12 from 1-4 p.m. at the Kingsport campus.
All donors will receive a free shirt for giving blood, while one donor will have their name selected at random to be the recipient of a MP3 player. Although low turnout has been a problem for past drives, the previous collection reached its quota. The upcoming event hopes to collect nearly twice the amount gathered during the previous effort.
“The donation process usually takes about 15 or 20 minutes per person,” said Lisa Presley of the Marsh Regional Blood Center.
To be able to donate, a person must be at least 17 years old, weigh more than 110 pounds, and not have taken any antibiotics within the past week. Anyone who has gotten a tattoo within the previous year is prohibited from donating blood.
With tattoo licenses becoming more stringently regulated, blood center employees are hopeful of that wait time decreasing within the next few years.
Certain specific blood types are desperately needed. The supply of both type O negative and A negative blood has reached an extreme emergency level. Type O positive and type A positive are also in low supply. Type O negative is especially useful, as it can be accepted by all blood types. For those uncertain of their blood type, donating blood is a free way to find out their blood type.
Blood received is measured in units, with each unit being roughly equivalent to one pint.
Marsh Regional Blood Center has obtained 93 units of blood from ETSU at Kingsport since 2004.
Student service adviser Jackie King said collection for 30 units will be ready, but they are always happy to exceed expectations.
King helped organize the previous blood drive last fall, which gathered 16 units.

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