UTC and Blood Assurance’s ‘Bloodanooga’ Drives Aim To Help Local Patients Amid Critical Blood Shortage

Photo Courtesy of Blood Assurance

In The Know with Gino…

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will host its annual Bloodanooga Blood Drive October 21st–22nd, inviting students, faculty and staff to donate for patients across the region.

The drive comes as Blood Assurance, the nonprofit blood center serving Chattanooga-area hospitals, reports a critical shortage of several blood types. The supply of O-negative blood has fallen below one day, while donations are down and hospital requests are rising.

This year’s theme, “Be A Game Changer,” takes inspiration from football season. Donors will receive a “Game Changers” T-shirt and can enjoy snacks, music and giveaways. Those who donate platelets, double red blood cells, AB plasma or O-negative whole blood will qualify for a $25 e-gift card. Donors can also enter drawings for a facial, local restaurant gift cards, meal vouchers, football-themed gifts and other prizes.

Graphic Courtesy of Blood Assurance

Each donation will count for two service hours toward UTC’s goal of 18,860 service hours.

Bloodanooga will run from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days in the Tennessee Room at the University Center. Appointments are available at BloodAssurance.org or by calling 800-962-0628; walk-ins are welcome.

Donors must be at least 17, or 16 with parental consent, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health. Blood Assurance recommends eating an iron-rich meal, drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding caffeine before donating and bringing photo identification.

Blood Assurance serves more than 70 health care facilities across Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina.

SOURCE: Blood Assurance