UNC Charlotte students, faculty and staff members have stepped up to help save lives by participating in the “49ers 4 Life” blood drive. The sixth annual drive will be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20, at the Barnhardt Student Activity Center; organizers have set a goal of 950 pints.
A campus-wide event coordinated by a number of student organizations, the “49ers 4 Life” blood drive is held in conjunction with the American Red Cross.
According to the American Red Cross, one pint of blood can help save up to three lives, which means University donors can help save more than 2,800 patients. One patient who received lifesaving blood was UNC Charlotte’s, Amy Jolly.
Jolly, a UNC Charlotte alumna and the business services coordinator in the Office of Alumni Affairs, had open heart surgery in June 2012. The doctors discovered that Jolly had a blood disorder called Acquired Von Willebrand’s Disease, which affected the clotting properties of her blood. In addition, she had an immune deficiency that required a special process to make the blood compatible for her condition. In this emergency situation, the hospital team relied on donations made to the American Red Cross.
Jolly said she plans on donating at this year’s blood drive. "Blood drive donations are very important to me because the people who gave up an hour of their day saved my life," she stated. "I want to do everything I can to pay it forward. One small act can make a big difference in the life of someone else."
Donors of all blood types, and especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative, are needed..
To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code "49ers4life" to sign up. Donors may also call 1-800-RED CROSS.