Who can save more lives?
Last week, all of CU rejoiced when our team delivered a crushing defeat to CSU on the football field. Now it is time to prove to CSU that we really do bleed black and gold by participating in the CU vs. CSU blood drive competition this week, Sept. 8th through the 12th.
The blood drive takes place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. all this week. On Sept. 8th through the 10th it will be in UMC 235; on Sept. 11th and 12th it will be in UMC 381.
The goal is to see which school can collect the most blood. The competition was initiated by the Bonfils Blood Center, the group which is currently supervising the blood drive, when it approached the two schools back in 2006.
Julie Scott, a public relations specialist with the Bonfils Blood Center, said CU and CSU “have been doing this [blood drive contest] for a few years” as have many other universities around the nation. Last year it was CSU who collected the most blood. The challenge now falls on Boulder to reclaim the status they held in the 2006 contest.
Ms. Scott continued to say that last year CU collected 603 units of blood from 603 donors.
“That’s enough blood to save 1800 lives,” she said.
Indeed, the brochure handed out at the blood drive in the UMC headlines, “In less than 1 hour you can save 3 lives.”
When asked what the prize for the victor might be, Ms. Scott said simply, “The satisfaction of saving lives.” If that is not enough, she continued to say that there is a trophy which resides with the staff counsel at CU which is updated each year.
“It’s a responsible thing to do if you are healthy person,” said Gene Tesdahl, a PhD student in the history department here at CU. This is the third time he has given blood at Boulder, and does so because he knows “people constantly need transfusions.”
Tesdahl said giving blood is a quick procedure; the whole appointment took only 45 minutes and 15 of those were spent waiting for his turn.
As for the pain involved with giving blood, students say it is minimal.
“Normally it doesn’t bother me at all,” said Rachel Arther, a junior business major.
“There is a small pinch,” Tesdahl said, but then continued to say there was no other pain.
To register for the blood drive go online at www.bonfils.org and use the site code 0248 or call 303-363-2300 to make an appointment any day this week. It is an easy way to help people who may be in dire need, and as Arther says, “Everyone should give blood.”
Contact CU Independent Freelance Writer Tim Kelly at Tim.Kelly@colorado.edu.
