Pharmacy School Kicks Off Blood Drive Contest

There are many ways to make a difference in the UCSF community. One simple way is to save lives by donating blood. The UCSF Associated Students School of Pharmacy (ASSP) is raising awareness of the importance of donating blood through a blood drive.

A blood drive is under way through March 23 at the UCSF Blood Center, next to Subway at Millberry Union. The School of Pharmacy’s goal is to donate 150 units of blood. To encourage more donors, the school has turned the drive into a competition among the first-, second-, third- and fourth-year pharmacy students. The winning class will receive $1,000.

By donating your time and blood, you can make a difference to others. Did you know that one pint of blood saves three lives, and that every two seconds, someone needs a blood transfusion? Blood is important because it cannot be manufactured; it can only come from volunteer donors.

Are you thinking that one pint of blood is too much? Average adults have 10 to 12 pints of blood in their body, and only one pint is given during donations.

Have you never donated blood before and are you wondering what the process will be like? Donating blood will take approximately one hour of your time, but in return, you will be helping community, making an impact, helping the pharmacy class and getting a gift card and tasty treats after donating blood.

Here are some tips for getting ready for blood donation:

• Drink plenty of fluids on the day of your donation.
• Wear clothing with sleeves that can easily be rolled up above the elbow.
• Include iron-rich foods, like beef, shrimp, tuna, tofu, strawberries and eggs in your diet, especially in the weeks before your donation.

Once the donation process is over, remember to continue to drink water throughout the day and avoid heavy lifting or extraneous exercise.

Looking for other ways to give to the community? Donate platelets! One platelet donation can be worth from 12 to 18 whole blood donations. Donating platelets will take about two hours of your time, but it will make a big difference to people in need.

In the School of Pharmacy Blood Drive contest, blood donations are worth one point and platelet donations are worth three points. When donating blood or platelets, also sign in for the pharmacy class you wish to give credit to. As of right now, first-year pharmacy students are leading with 15 blood donations and one platelet donation.

The blood drive will end on March 23, but donations at the UCSF Blood Center are always accepted. Donate today and save lives.