The American Red Cross held a blood drive April 30 at Washburn University to help address ongoing blood shortages. Both students and faculty participated in the event, contributing to the university’s ongoing efforts to support community health initiatives.
“[Blood donation] is honestly pretty quick and simple,” said Crystal Lemming, director of counseling services. “It doesn’t take very long. It’s not any more painful than getting blood drawn for a lab or getting an injection, and for a fairly small investment, quick, simple, not very painful, it makes a pretty substantial contribution to the people around you.”
Naomi Whalen, a lead phlebotomist at Red Cross, explained that donor safety begins with thorough pre-screening. Participants undergo physical exams and health history checks to ensure they are healthy enough to donate. To prevent discomfort or illness during the process, staff provide support measures such as fans and ice packs, helping to create a safe and comfortable environment for all donors.
“They usually get processed into the red blood cells, the platelets and the plasma, and then each part of the donation is used for different scenarios,” Whalen said. “[For example], red blood cells are used a lot in trauma situations, plasma is used a lot for burn victims, and platelets are needed for cancer patients going under chemotherapy.”
Jared Dechant, assistant director of residential living, admitted he was a bit nervous about donating blood but found the experience manageable and positive overall. He said that once it was over, it didn’t seem as intimidating as expected.
Dechant encouraged others who may be hesitant to give it a try, noting that if it goes well, they might feel confident enough to donate again. He also expressed excitement about a new platelet center opening in Kansas City, which could offer more opportunities for donors in the region.
Lemming said that as long as the prospective donors are not someone who passes out at the sight of blood, she has nearly always seen the fear related to donating blood reduce with more time and experience.
“People hear a lot about the horror stories,” Whalen said, “but they don’t hear about the 99% of donations that go perfectly fine. The pain is really short lived, and it goes away pretty quick.”
By coming together to donate, the Washburn community showed how collective action can help meet urgent medical needs.
Edited by Reid McEvoy and Jeremy Ford
