WSU hosts blood drive, aiming for 1K donations by Friday to make largest blood drive in Utah
by: Jordan Verdadeiro
OGDEN, Utah (ABC4 News) – The American Red Cross is aiming for one thousand donations by the end of the week to mark the largest blood drive in a decade.
Corky Palm has been donating blood all over the country, for over 60 years.
"My hair is white, I cover up my grey hair so I'm well over 75," said Palm.
She says 2020 is a year like no other where blood is needed, but she's seen it all.
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"Ground zero and the twin towers were bombed, or when I was in South Carolina, one of the major hurricanes, but not as many lives lost as this one and not as big of a need as this is now," said Palm.
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The goal is to get 1,000 blood donors over the course of the week, which would make it the largest blood drive in Utah in over a decade.
"Each individual donor has an appointment, that's the ideal way where they've scheduled to where we know how many are going to be here at a time, those that come in that just choose to walk in, we will get them into that very next spot," said Benjamin Donner the executive director of American Red Cross, Northern Utah.
A new feature is, the American Red Cross is now screening donor's blood for COVID-19 antibodies.
"That blood or that plasma in the blood, can be used to treat the most severe patients and help them where they need it most right now," said Donner.
Donations will provide blood to 45 hospitals in Utah, according to American Red Cross leaders.
"Somebody just like me is out there right now, that's going to need blood, that somebody else that showed up, just to do something good for somebody, they're going to keep their father there, their son, daughter, etc," he added.
Corky says there's no excuse for people to skip a donation slot for this week.
"I think it's in my blood just to help people and I will give blood as long as I can, for as many years as I can," said Palm.
In order to donate, you just have to register online.
The event is open to all, you can come anytime between 8 AM and 6 PM this week, until Friday.