The University of Connecticut Red Cross club is currently holding one of their many blood drives from Feb. 9 to 13 from 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. It will be held at the Alumni Center from Feb. 9 to 12 and at the Foundation Building on Feb. 13.
Information about UConn’s blood drive and sign-up times can be found on the Red Cross website.
People interested in donating blood will have to answer questions to determine if they are eligible to donate, said Chiara Puzella, an advertising chair for the club and an eighth-semester physiology and neurobiology major at UConn.
“Every time you donate it saves three lives,” Puzella said.
According to Puzella, donors will receive a $20 Amazon gift card.
She said before donating it is important to be hydrated and wear a t-shirt to your donation time.
Requirements for donating blood include being at least 17 years old and 110 pounds, along with others such as having a sufficient iron level for donating, Puzella said.
Joy Elwell, the director of the UConn Elisabeth Deluca School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Program and liaison for the Red Cross club, helps set up the blood drives and helps people who want to volunteer with the club.
According to Puzella and Elwell, there is always a need for Type O blood. Type O blood is considered the universal donor, which means it can be given to anyone with any blood type.
“There is a tremendous shortage of blood for donation for use in the United States,” Elwell said.
Blood donated can be used in emergency situations, surgery and in the intensive care unit, Elwell said.
After donating blood, your body regenerates the volume of blood you donated within a few days, according to Elwell.
Puzella said she joined the Red Cross club during her junior year because it was a good cause.
“I started out volunteering, at the blood drives and tabling, and then over time, I worked my way to becoming the advertising chair,” she said.
The Red Cross Club will have two more blood drives in the spring semester from Feb. 23 to 27 and March 23 to 27, according to the club’s UConntact page.
This article was updated on Feb. 12 to clarify Elwell’s title and remove a misplaced photo caption.