The popular alternative rock band The Fray might have their own idea about “how to save a life,” but the American Red Cross has a very simple one: give blood. The call to give blood is heard often and always has a sense of urgency to it, but this time it’s different. This time the blood supply is critically low.

This is where ETSU comes in. The American Red Cross has a blood drive scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 8 and 9, which will run from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day in the Culp Center Ballroom.

Gwen Hunter, Donor Recruitment Representative for the Johnson City area (which spans 11 of the counties that comprise Northeast Tennessee,) is hoping for a big turnout.

“We’re hoping for about a hundred units each day,” she said.

Hunter says the national blood supply hasn’t been this low in a decade. “The winter weather has hit everybody hard, so a lot of people have not been able to get out to scheduled blood drives, and many drives have been canceled because it wasn’t safe for staff or donors,” she said.

When such cancellations are isolated to a fairly small geographic area the lost units are not so much of a problem since blood can be quickly transported from one area to another with relative ease. “But now, since that winter weather has impacted so much of the country, thousands of units of blood have not been able to be collected,” Hunter said.

The blood collected at ETSU will help a variety of people.

“The American Red Cross is charged by Congress to make sure that blood is available for any hospital that needs it, anywhere,” said Hunter.

This blood drive is critically important to help not only the region but the entire nation restock the blood supply and get it back up to a safe level.

Hunter said a “safe level” is considered a three to four day supply, meaning that if everyone stopped giving blood right now, what is available would still last about four days. Right now, at this critical level, what is available is significantly less than that.

According to a recent American Red Cross press release, blood and platelets are transfused for a variety of medical needs: trauma victims, heart surgery patients, premature babies, organ transplant recipients and in the treatment of leukemia, cancer and sickle cell disease just to name a few.

Also, there is no substitute for blood. Red blood cells have a shelf life of 42 days, platelets only five days, so as Hunter put it, “The blood supply is never too much.”

This leaves ETSU and our community with a huge opportunity. This blood drive can really help the region and the nation in a very tangible way, and it’s easier to give than you might think.

You need to be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent,) weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health. Bring photo identification (your student ID works) or your Red Cross donor card. The whole donation process takes just over an hour and is relatively painless.

Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred and can be made by calling Andrea Sutter at the Pres House at (423) 926-2522. If you are not sure whether you are eligible to donate or not, call 1-866-236-3276 to speak to an eligibility counselor.

So come to the blood drive, roll up your sleeve and donate a pint of blood and save a life.

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