Contact:

Nancy Troutman, 768-1408 ext. 232 or Jan Barnhardt, 277-7175 or Carolyn Gonzales, 277-5920

October 26, 2001

UNM GENERAL LIBRARY SPONSORS 4th ANNUAL BLOOD DRIVE

The University of New Mexico General Library and other campus groups team up with United Blood Services (UBS) for the fourth year to sponsor a blood drive Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 29-30 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"We have an opportunity to help United Blood Services on the campus and also to respond positively to the tragic events of Tuesday morning, September 11," says Jan Dodson Barnhart, the library's executive assistant to the dean.

"I believe it is important for the UNM community to come together to give something priceless to the people who have suffered firsthand from this great tragedy. We can buy new clothes, build new homes, but life is priceless and the blood that you can donate is something each person who receives it will be thankful for forever," says Shelli Rosenfeld, executive director, Student Special Events.

The goal is to raise 400 pints of blood during the drive to be held at three campus sites.

"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, UBS community relations representative.

UNM General Library sponsors 4th annual blood drive People can donate blood in Zimmerman Library, at the UBS bus parked just west of the Visitor Lot near the Center for the Arts and on Monday only, at a bus parked at the North Golf Course Parking Lot.

"Many people donated blood immediately following the tragedies in Washington, New York and Pennsylvania. Those blood supplies will either be exhausted or expired by the end of October," said Troutman. "It is especially important for people to donate during this drive."

"The campus blood drive is a way to benefit the community and galvanize the campus after the recent tragedies," adds Barnhart. Widespread participation is needed because:

* Anyone who was in the United Kingdom between 1980-1996 is deferred for life from giving blood because of the presence of Mad Cow disease in that country and the lack of a screening test for the condition.

* Less than 4 percent of the eligible population of blood donors participate.

* Individuals can donate blood only every 56 days.

* 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.

* O negative blood is always needed because it is the universal donor type, but only 6 percent of the population has it.

"The tragic events of September 11 made each of us aware that we are part of a larger national community. By donating blood locally, people can demonstrate their support for the entire community of Americans. We, in the library, have had a longstanding relationship with UBS and want this drive to stand for the University community as a whole that we will do our part to heal the country's wounds," says Robert Migneault, dean, UNM General Library.

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The University of New Mexico
Public Affairs Department
Hodgin Hall, 2nd floor
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813
Fax: (505) 277-1981