For people fighting cancer or sickle cell disease, recovering from traumatic injury or undergoing surgery, blood transfusions can make a truly lifesaving difference. And since there is no way to manufacture the blood, patients rely on blood donors to help them get the treatments they need.  

According to the American Red Cross, only 3% of people old enough to donate blood do so each year, which means the supply of blood donated does not always meet the demand for patients in need. After the American Red Cross declared an official blood shortage in the U.S. on September 11, 2023, the need for new and returning donors is even more urgent.  

Madison College is hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Truax Room B/C. You can schedule a blood donation appointment by visiting the Red Cross appointment scheduling page and using the sponsor code “MadisonCollege”. 

There are a few requirements to keep in mind before scheduling an appointment. To donate a unit of whole blood, donors must be at least seventeen years old (or sixteen with parent consent), weigh at minimum 110 pounds and cannot be sick or have symptoms of illness on the day of donation. Additional requirements can be found on the Red Cross website, where lists of medications, places of travel and other more specific conditions that may cause a deferral are covered in depth.  

For people who are eligible to donate, the actual process is quite simple. The total appointment for a whole blood donation usually takes around an hour.  

The longest part of the donation process is the medical history and mini physical exam, which includes a questionnaire with questions such as “Have you ever received a COVID-19 vaccination?” and “Have you traveled outside the country in the past three months?” After the completion of the exam, the actual donation takes about ten minutes. This is followed by ten to fifteen minutes of waiting and a snack in the recovery area. 

Eligible donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment at a blood drive or donation center. To find and schedule a blood donation appointment, visit the Red Cross appointment scheduling page.