“We want your blood!”; Blood bank gives deals for donations

By Dan Chavez, Staff Reporter | Photo By Dan Chavez

The United Blood Services hosted a blood drive on Jan. 14 and 15 in its mobile unit parked in the Student Services Center parking lot, with the expectation of recruit­ing 18 donors in a day, Mikayla Ortega, Senior Donor Recruitment Representative, said.

Ortega said that there is also a large blood drive scheduled from Feb. 2 through to Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the UNM campus near the Student Union Building.

UNM will actually be in a com­petition against New Mexico State University, in which eligible donors from UNM, CNM and the surround­ing community are encouraged to visit the mobile contribution unit and donate, she said.

Ortega said that Student Activities Supervisor Brandon Seber and the entire Student Activities Department at CNM were instrumental in bring­ing the blood drive to the CNM campus for two days.

The goal for the event on Tuesday was 18 donors and ended up receiving 15, a number that was a bit short of expectation, but actually not too bad, she said.

Donors at this blood drive received a coupon for 50 percent off nail service or $25 off a hair service by Ruth Lucero at A Touch of Zen Salon, she said.

In addition, those who donate this month can sign up by contact­ing United Blood Services at 1-800- 333-8037 or by going online to unit­edbloodservices.org and entering sponsor code -CNM to get 200 points, she said.

People who would like to donate at a local blood drive can visit the United Blood Services website and click the “donate” link to find sched­uled events in the area, she said.

“Points may be used in our store for items like movie tickets, T-shirts, Baskin Robins, or gift cards,” she said.

Anyone who wishes to donate but did not make the blood drive or cannot make it to the UNM blood drive can visit the United Blood Services Albuquerque loca­t i o n at 1515 Univer s it y Blvd. NE, Ortega said.

Donors who visit the location can still get the redeemable points, but coupons were only given to those at the blood drive, she said.

“We encourage people to donate blood. People always think that the blood is there, but really and truly, this month especially, it is not. So we really need the help of the community, the help of CNM to get behind us and help us stock our shelves,” Ortega said.

Donors may give blood up to three times a year and more than eight weeks between donations to ensure their health and wellness, she said.