Library
sponsors blood drive
The UNM
General Library and campus groups team up with United Blood
Services (UBS) for the fifth year to sponsor a blood drive Wednesday
and Thursday, Oct. 30-31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Through
this blood drive we benefit United Blood Services and the needs
of people in the community. This event brings the campus community
from north, south and main campus together to
make this a success. With an ambitious goal of 250 pints of
blood we rely on students, staff and faculty participation to
help us attain that goal, says Jan Dodson Barnhart, program
manager, library development office.
The drive
will take place at three campus sites both days: Zimmerman Library,
and at UBS buses at the Research Park between buildings 801
and 851, and at Yale and Las Lomas.
Since
UBS requires 250 pints daily to keep up with their needs in
New Mexico and the four corners region, there is always a critical
need, says Nancy Troutman of UBS community relations.
Widespread
participation is needed because the theoretical risk of transmitting
the human form of Mad Cow Disease forced new restrictions that
now prevent the groups of individuals from being able to donate
blood.
Troutman
says that less than four percent of the eligible population
donates. And those who do donate can only do so every
56 days, she says.
Anyone
who has gotten a tattoo in the last year is deferred.
Although
tattoo artists use a new needle for each customer, they reuse
the ink. So, by putting a clean needle in dirty ink,
they are driving up the number of Hepatitis C cases. Not only
will those individuals be ineligible to give blood, they will
be future recipients.