United Blood Services logo
By Shenique Schaff
Students lined up to save lives as the United Blood Services recruited donors on March 7. The staff enjoyed informing and rewarding donors on the Cheyenne campus.
“It’s always a pleasure to come to this campus. It’s one of the highlights of my job,” says Julie Lindsay, senior donor recruiter for United Blood Services.
Lindsay says that United Blood Services’ focus is to supply blood for patients in the tri-state area: Nevada, Arizona and California. It hoped to receive around 20 to 30 units of blood.
“It’s something I have always wanted to do…give back to my community,” CSN student Katelynn Ross says.
According to the donor recruitment manager for United Blood Services Paul Milakeve, there are certain requirements for donors.
“Qualifications would be that the person has to be at least 17 years old. You have to weigh at least 110 pounds,” Milakeve says.
“For donors that are under 23, there are additional weight restrictions and it goes by your size and your weight. The smaller you are, the heavier you have to be in order for your body to afford to lose a pint of blood,” Milakeve says.
Once the donors are qualified, they must go through a 20-minute interview, where United Blood Services’ staff tests for: iron, blood pressure and heart rate.
“It takes about one hour to an hour and 30 minutes,” Milakeve says. After a 10 to 30 minute blood-drawing process, “We bandage their arm and they go out to the refreshment area provided and relax for 20 minutes.”
Although students donated blood willingly, United Blood Services treated all donors to rewards. Volunteers who qualified and successfully gave blood received two admission vouchers to see The Australian Bee Gee’s show at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino.
According to its website, United Blood Services is a non-profit community blood center. It provides blood and blood products for local area hospitals throughout the United States.
This year the drive will visit CSN from February to April and October to November.
“The students here are phenomenal and we thank them for their generous donations towards saving lives,” Lindsay concluded.
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 