UNMC will host an extra blood drive on campus from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2, at the Center for Healthy Living.
Peter Pellerito, who organizes the campus blood drives, said that the extra blood drive was scheduled in response to a request from the Red Cross and with the consent of NHS. The NHS blood drive that is set for Jan. 22 will take place as scheduled.
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Generally, Pellerito said, UNMC and NHS each schedule two blood drives per year, at least 56 days apart. This allows for employees to donate at the four blood drives per year on campus.
“People who donated at our Oct. 1 drive can donate again on Jan. 2 or Jan. 22,” Pellerito said. “The Red Cross asked us to have this extra drive, and there are plenty of potential donors on campus to fill both drives and make them a tremendous success. What better gift could there be to give over the holidays than the gift of life.”
Pellerito said the Oct. 1 blood drive at UNMC had a full slate of potential donors. Some employees were delayed because of the high numbers, but that shouldn’t be the case this time, he said.
“It usually takes about an hour, from the time someone walks through the door until the time that they leave. The actual blood draw usually takes less than 10 minutes,” Pellerito said.
Employees who would like to sign up to donate blood on Jan. 2 can call Pellerito at 559-5253 or go to the Center for Health Living Web site at http://www.unmc.edu/services/bus-fin/fitness.