More than 400 pints of blood were collected at the Homecoming Blood Drive held at the Red Gym over the weekend - an higher amount than expected.
According to Sarah Stevermer, communications and public relations specialist for the American Red Cross, students were instrumental in the event's success.
It was very exciting. More people came out to donate than we thought,"" Stevermer said. ""Students were the ones who came out and donated. They are the reason that the blood drive was so successful.""
According to UW-Madison student Alex Kumin, one of the event coordinators, the purpose of the campaign was to support the Madison area blood banks and to spread awareness of blood donation.
""The drive was a success in the number of donations we received and the number of volunteers who came to help out,"" Kumin said.
According Stevermer, 438 pints of blood were collected by the drive's completion. She said each pint of blood can help up to three patients and students' donations from homecoming could help more than 1,300 patients in need.
The blood collected will help local patients before helping patients around the country through Red Cross' national inventory system.
In addition to the Homecoming Blood Drive, the American Red Cross holds several annual blood drives on campus throughout the year. Students can also donate by visiting Young Blood Donor Center located in Union South.
""Every two seconds someone in America needs blood. It is necessary to keep the blood banks stocked so that they can be prepared to supply the surrounding hospitals with blood for transfusions,"" Kumin said.
