By Jayson Larson/TVCC Public Information
Trinity Valley Community College is once again teaming up with Carter BloodCare to help save lives.
The college has scheduled its annual blood drive for April 8-9, in conjunction with the annual TVCC Health Fair hosted by nursing students from the Health Science Center. TVCC has set an aggressive goal of collecting 15 gallons of blood during the two-day drive – the equivalent of 120 donors. According to Carter BloodCare, each pint of blood donated can save as many as three lives.
“We believe that our goal is one that is attainable, yet challenges us to up the ante,” said Cortney Curran, TVCC’s Director of International Students and Student Government Association advisor.
Carter BloodCare figures reveal 4.5 million American lives are saved each year by blood transfusions and 32,000 pints of blood are donated each day in the U.S. Even so, blood centers often experience shortages – especially during the summer and winter months. The need for blood is constant, as someone needs blood every three seconds, including one in seven hospital patients. Much of today’s medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from healthy donors, according to Carter BloodCare.
Healthy adults who are at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent) and weigh at least 110 pounds may donate blood every 56 days.