East Texas colleges plan 1st HBCU Blood Donation Battle

Wiley University and Texas College vie for $2,500 grants Oct. 24 and Oct. 29

Two East Texas colleges are sharing their homecoming spirit to help local patients in need of lifesaving transfusions.

Wiley University in Marshall and Texas College in Tyler are partnering with Carter BloodCare to stage the first HBCU Blood Donation Battle during their respective homecoming celebrations: Oct. 24 in Marshall and Oct. 29 in Tyler. Organizers of the competitive blood drive plan to collect at least 22 units per campus.

Each school that meets or exceeds its 22-unit goal will receive a $2,500 grant from Carter BloodCare. Each donated unit can support three patients; each college that meets its goal as a minimum will help at least 66 East Texas-area patients.

The school with the most collected units will receive a custom “bragging rights” trophy.

Donors on both campuses will each receive a $15 Chick-fil-A gift card, plus their choice of an HBCU blood donor sweatshirt.

“With alumni, family and friends convening on each campus, it creates the perfect opportunity for giving,” said Community and Donor Engagement Specialist Joi Johnson with Carter BloodCare. “We are so excited both schools are dedicated to the importance of blood donation. These drives will be very competitive and we encourage everyone to make their donor appointment to help each school exceed their goal.”

The inaugural blood drive comes at a crucial time for the East Texas blood supply. Traditionally, volunteer blood donations drop going into the year-end holiday season.

This seasonal slump occurs for a number of reasons: High schools – whose student donors contribute 25% of all blood – do not hold blood drives during the extended holiday break; donors may be unavailable due to travel and family commitments; and others delay donating during the hustle and bustle of holiday planning.

The need for blood, however, never takes a break. Patients throughout East Texas need blood at all hours.

Support for patients with sickle cell disease

A positive sign for the community is that 1 in 3 Black/African American blood donors is a viable match for a patient living with sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder affecting 1 in every 365 Black/African American births. It can cause serious health issues, including chronic pain, strokes and organ failure. While there is no cure, blood transfusions help ease the severity of symptoms.

Transfusions also help children fighting cancer, people hurt in traffic accidents, mothers going through difficult childbirths, organ transplant patients and many others.

Carter BloodCare’s health care professionals note all blood types are needed, especially type O negative. The universal blood type, O negative can be used to treat any patient, which is crucial in an emergency if the patient’s blood type is not immediately known.

In addition, O negative is the only blood type used to support premature and unborn babies.

Donor eligibility

Blood transfusion is made possible by volunteer donors. Donors can begin giving blood at age 16 with parental consent; those 17 and older can donate on their own. Eligible donors also must weigh at least 110 pounds and feel well on the day of donation.

For details and to pick a convenient time to donate at the HBCU Blood Donation Battle, scan the appropriate QR code above or call 800-366-2834.

About Carter BloodCare

Carter BloodCare is an independent, community blood center providing transfusion resources to more than 200 medical facilities in 57 counties of North, Central and East Texas. The nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization is one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 440,000 blood products annually to meet hospitals’ requirements for their patients. Services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage and distribution of blood and blood products.
Tu centro de sangre comunitario.