Grateful for Blood Donors

“Give” may be a four-letter word, but at the UCSF Blood Center/Mobile Unit they just can’t get enough. Nationally, someone needs blood every three seconds. In California, 60 percent of the population is eligible to donate. However, only an estimated 2 -3 percent of that eligible population donates blood, but UCSF’s Schools of Nursing, Dentistry, and Pharmacy are turning percentages into lives saved.

Last year, School of Nursing Dean Kathleen Dracup, RN, DNSc, along with associate deans Zina Mirsky, RN, EdD spearheaded the School of Nursing’s 2nd Annual Blood Drive, which yielded 50 units of blood. Factor in that each unit of blood can save up to two lives and one can see why the staff of the blood center say, “Every unit counts.”

In the School of Dentistry, Gwen Essex, an associate clinical professor within the division of Preclinical General Dentistry and the department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, takes “blood driving,” a term used by blood center recruiters for the act of stimulating blood donating amongst the general population, out of the box and into the cubicle. In 2006, when the School of Dentistry’s tri-yearly blood drives needed a new interdepartmental leader, Gwen created an exciting atmosphere of competition and camaraderie amongst the four dental classes that one could feel in the donor room as students came in groups of four or more to donate. Even ineligible donors were seen in the Blood Center supporting eligible donors as they rolled up their sleeve to safe a life. As an added incentive, Gwen personally set up any student’s cubicle who donated before afternoon clinic to ensure that students could donate and be on time for clinic! Currently, under Gwen’s leadership, the tri-yearly School of Dentistry Blood Drives are still pumping with 41 units donated this school year alone and students already anticipating the final 2008-2009 School of Dentistry Blood Drive May 10 – 24.

While the School of Pharmacy may not have a dedicated building in comparison to its counterparts, its student body possesses a tall demeanor. In 2009, after a record-breaking 1st Annual School of Pharmacy Blood Drive, Nathan Singer, president of the 2010 School of Pharmacy class, passed on the leadership responsibilities of the 2nd Annual School of Pharmacy Blood Drive to the capable hands of Dylan Stewart of the 2011 School of Pharmacy class. With fellow classmate Elliot Gorelick, Dylan brought the altruism of blood donating to the forefront of everyone’s agenda in the School of Pharmacy. In a mere 68 days, the School of Pharmacy donated 198 units of blood and platelets.

We of the UCSF Blood Center/Mobile Unit can not begin to express our appreciation of the schools of Nursing, Dentistry and Pharmacy’s efforts. Those who have and still lead the efforts of each school’s respective blood drive efforts truly exemplify those that go above and beyond donating and do – for the microcosm of the UCSF community and the macrocosm of the friends, family, lovers, brothers, sisters and mothers touched by 15 minutes in a leather recliner at the UCSF Blood Center.

The need for blood is very great, and faculty, staff and students are always encouraged to visit the blood center to donate blood. UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Children’s Hospital use more than 50,000 blood components a year, which translates to 100 each day.

The UCSF Blood Center/Mobile Unit would like to thank the School of Nursing, the School of Dentistry and the School of Pharmacy for their valiant work to support the blood center and our efforts to maintain an the supply of blood products at UCSF Medical Center. Your support is greatly appreciated.