2021 SEMO Greek Week Blood Drive
The American Red Cross and Southeast Missouri State University are once again teaming up for the annual Spring Greek Week Blood Drive March 28-31 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Student Recreation Center, 750 New Madrid, in Cape Girardeau.
The Red Cross and the University are inviting students, staff, faculty and the residents of Cape and Southeastern Missouri to rally around this annual lifesaving cause. This drive has taken on even more meaning since the COVID-19 pandemic hit last March. Whether you are on or off campus, there’s no better way to celebrate the giving nature of the community than by helping the Red Cross maintain a sufficient blood supply. This year’s drive is expecting to collect over 1,100 donations, which would make it the top Spring collegiate blood drive in the Missouri-Arkansas region.
“Southeast Missouri State University has continued to grow this blood drive and help us at a time of year when winter weather had a recent impact on our blood supply,” said Joe Zydlo, Regional Communications Manager, American Red Cross of Missouri-Arkansas. “We are extremely grateful to the University for hosting the drive this Spring. While things may look a bit different this year, the need for blood is still constant and we encourage everyone in the Cape and Southeast Missouri community to stop in, roll up a sleeve and help us save lives.”
Last month record-breaking cold and winter storms across much of the U.S. had a significant impact on blood and platelet donations. The American Red Cross is urging healthy individuals, especially those with type O blood, to give now at this blood drive to ensure blood products are available for patient emergencies when help can’t wait.
Every two seconds in the United States blood is needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer, or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect nearly 13,000 blood and more than 2,500 platelet donations every day for the patients at about 2,500 hospitals nationwide.