The Tulane University chapter of Friends of Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders, collaborated with The Blood Center to host a blood drive on campus last week to support local hospitals and encourage more college-aged students to donate blood. High school and college students make up about a fourth of all blood donations.
Friends of MSF President Kylie Bogard founded the chapter with friends during her sophomore year, inspired by chapters at other colleges. The organization’s goal is to raise awareness and funds for the international organization Doctors Without Borders.
The club has organized multiple blood drives on campus throughout the school year, including one last year where students who donated blood received a free pass to The Mortuary Haunted Mansion on Canal Street.
The Blood Center is a non-profit organization based primarily in Louisiana with a few other locations throughout the Gulf South. Founded in 1960, the organization runs donation centers and partnerships with local hospitals and community organizations.
The Blood Center’s work is deeply personal to Kathleen “Kappa” Horn, who works as an account representative.
“My nephew was twelve years old and he got into a horrific accident. He lost six pints of blood on the street. He was bleeding to death,” Horn said. “He was taken to the hospital and it was The Blood Center that gave the hospital 15 units of blood to save his life.”
There is a higher demand for blood than donations to go around. Every two seconds, someone in the US needs blood, and only 3% of the population regularly donate blood, even though 62% are eligible to do so.
“One person donating [blood] has the potential to save three people,” Bogard said.
Most college students are eligible to donate blood. The requirements to donate are to be in good health, be aged 17 years or older and weigh at least 110 pounds. People who take certain medications often have additional waiting periods, as well as people who have tattoos.