KENT recently hosted an American Red Cross Blood Drive. Students, faculty, staff and residents of Kent were invited to give about an hour of their time and a pint of their blood to the Red Cross. The need for blood is critical, and getting students to begin giving early will ensure that the Red Cross has a steady supply for patients in Emergency Rooms and hospitals. The Red Cross gave KENT a goal of collecting 35 pints of blood– based on the number of students eligible to donate. There are strict requirements for blood donation– students must be at least 17 years old, meet height and weight requirements, and there are also several restrictions in place to ensure that blood collected is free of anything that might be harmful to those receiving it. Some examples of restrictions include travel to many countries in Europe that had outbreaks of mad cow disease and any country that is considered a malaria risk country by the Centers for Disease Control. At the end of the drive, 46 pints of blood had been collected, 11 pints over our goal. The Red Cross staff was very pleased with the turnout, and those who donated were also treated to homemade cookies after their donation. The next blood drive is planned for spring term.
