SOU Reinstates Blood Drive As Hurricanes Cause Blood Shortages
ASHLAND, Ore. — For the first time since 2007, Southern Oregon University (SOU) is holding a blood drive on campus from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The decision was made in light of current blood shortages caused by Hurricane Helene and the approaching Hurricane Milton.
Oregonians Asked To Donate Blood As Hurricanes Affect Other States
A strain on the nation’s blood supply has emerged as many blood drives on the East Coast have been canceled because of the hurricanes.
To address this, the Red Cross has returned to the Southern Oregon University campus in Ashland this week for a two-day blood drive.
This means students and community members who haven’t been able to donate at SOU since 2007 can come back and support the cause.
Due to the perception by student government representatives of a lack of inclusion of sexually active gay men, SOU banned Red Cross blood drives on campus in 2007. Until 2022, sexually active gay men could not donate blood to the Red Cross.
An account manager at the Red Cross, Ace Ventura, indicated that the reason for the FDA’s rules at the time arose from the 1980/90s AIDS epidemic. Because their blood is considered a pharmaceutical product, the Red Cross must follow FDA rules and regulations.
The language and questions put to blood donors were changed in 2022 by the FDA.
Ventura confirmed that the questions don’t target a specific sexual orientation and are now more inclusive.
He said that it is critical for the community to rally around this drive as the regular supply that they struggled to keep up with has grown incrementally. There are now daily reports of thousands or tens of thousands of casualties and injuries.
This means tens of thousands of units of blood are needed every moment- now more than ever.
SOU Blood Drive Details
The Red Cross SOU blood drive is scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the details are as follows:
- Venue: Stevenson Union, First floor, Associated Students of Southern Oregon University (ASSOU) Lounge, 1118 Siskiyou Blvd.
- Blood donors must be at least 16 years old and have a parent or guardian present. Donors aged 17 and above don’t need parent’s permission.
- To schedule an appointment or get more details:
- Visit the website at redcrossblood.org
- Call 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767)
Blood donors will be offered sheet cake and pizza plus a $10 e-gift card. Blood donations could also be given at the First Presbyterian Church, 1615 Clark Ave, Ashland from 1 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 10.
Ventura said, “We need every drop we can get.”