MEDIC to host final blood drive of year on April 28 at Hodges

MEDIC, located on Ailor Avenue just minutes from campus, was founded in 1958 by Dr. Carl Nelson as an independent, non-profit supplier based on volunteer donations.

MEDIC Regional Blood Center, which provides blood to 22 regional community hospitals including the UT Medical Center and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, will host its final on-campus blood drive at Hodges Library on Friday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The center, an accredited member of the American Association of Blood Banks and America’s Blood Centers, is currently experiencing a period of high demand from the hospitals it services. Chris Phipps, donor engagement coordinator for MEDIC, said hosting blood drives on campus is “extremely vital” to securing the future of donation, especially since the average age of a blood donor is 55 years old.

Phipps said the center has had a successful year on campus.

“So far this school year, we’ve collected more than 1,200 units of blood from students at UT, which has been our highest turnout in the past five years,” Phipps said. “We hope this last drive will continue the success and the campus continue to show the volunteer spirit going forward.”

Students who donate will receive a free T-shirt and coupons to local restaurants. In order to make an appointment, students can visit www.tndonor.org or can walk-in on the bus, though walk-ins may experience a small wait time.

Students can start preparing to donate blood a few days prior to visiting the bus. Increasing hydration in the days leading up to donation opens up veins, making the process smoother. Donors should also take care to eat a good meal before donating, which helps decrease the chance of reactions like dizziness, nausea or lightheadedness.

Phipps said the group is looking for certain blood types in particular to help patients at regional hospitals.

“We have remained in an almost critically low stock of type A and O blood since early March,” Phipps said. “As soon as its collected and processed, the blood is almost immediately taken from our shelf and to a patient in need.”

Students who would like to donate must go through a brief screening process including questions on medical and travel history, in order to confirm eligibility for donation. Donors must weigh at least 115 pounds, a minimum that reduces the risk of complications.

MEDIC provides incentives to students throughout the year, including over the summer for those staying in the Knoxville area. According to Phipps, in addition to its regular incentives for the summer, MEDIC plans to have a special incentive for college students who donate and show a valid student I.D. during the summer. An announcement with more specifics about summer incentives will be made soon.