Alpha Sigma Phi’s blood drive on Wednesday was delayed by two and a half hours due to an issue with the air conditioning units in Hayden Lounge. Many students were unable to reschedule appointmentss and could not donate. Despite these setbacks, Alpha Sigma Phi passed its goal of 38 pints of blood, collecting 45 total.
Alpha Sigma Phi brother David Smith, one of the organizers of the event, praised Associate Director of Student Life Thea Zunick for her assistance with the drive. “[She] worked very hard to help us when she found out we were having issues with the A/C. She even offered to let us use Jacobus, which she had reserved for one of her own programs, because she believed in our cause and wanted to do anything she could to help.”
The drive in Hayden Lounge accepted both traditional whole unit donations and double red donations by apheresis. Traditional donations collect one pint of blood, comprised of red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. This “whole unit” can be used to save up to three lives. Donors with Type O blood or other Rh-negative blood types are encouraged to donate via apheresis, whereby two pints of blood are collected, but the plasma and platelets drawn are put back into the body with saline. These red blood cells can be combined with whole units from other donors.
Stevens’ next blood drive will be hosted on November 11th. Walk-ins and appointments are both available.
