The Occupational Therapy Association (OTA) Students hosted a blood drive on Feb. 11 at the Downtown Campus.
A team from the American Red Cross comprised of highly skilled phlebotomists, and registered and licensed practical nurses, made it an easy process for students to donate their blood to help save lives.
After a lengthy registration process loaded with health-history questions and a “mini-physical,” students lay on the donation tables. After a sterile iodine-scrub and venu-puncture, the blood is collected into two bags; one for testing and another to use for other patients in need.
Elizabeth Terrones, Clinical Laboratory Technology student, said, “I’ve always wanted to give blood, and I feel great that I did. I plan to do it again.”
Claudia Jankowski,  Liberal Arts and Science student explained, “I saw a post on MATC’s Facebook page that there is a blood drive today and I felt like it was important to come donate blood, so I decided to come down and I was already here for a student leadership breakfast. It’s important to come donate blood regardless of what is going on. It’s important to me to come donate here because my family has needed transfusions in the past. It’s full-circle to me.”
Jason Dozark, supervising OTA student, stated, “I have donated blood before. It’s a great thing to do. This is also a way for OTA students to earn money to put into accounts for future events.”
Don’t pass up a chance to donate blood. You never know if you may need it one day, or if your DNA holds the key to unlocking medical mysteries.