September 6, 2011

Blood donations target sickle cell disease patients

Faculty, staff and students are urged to make time to donate blood at the Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Blood Drive being held next week on the Homewood campus.

According to the American Red Cross, sickle cell disease affects 80,000 African-Americans in the United States. Individuals with this disease are at risk for great pain, organ and tissue damage, and strokes. Many require regular transfusions, some as often as every four to six weeks.

Although sickle cell patients can receive transfusions from any donor, increasing blood donations from African-Americans is crucial as the best match is often found in a donor with the same ethnic background. All eligible donors are invited to participate in the Blue Tag Program, which designates donations from African-American donors for patients with sickle cell disease. More information about the program can be found at www.redcrossblood.org/gcp-bluetag.

The drive will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13, and from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, in Levering’s Glass Pavilion.

To schedule a donation online or call 443-997-0338. To learn more about donating, check eligibility criteria and find tips on preparing for your blood donation, call 866-236-3276.