convince people to donate blood product regularly

I’m going to be focusing on the medical study I’m joining over the next year and, given that a few minor surgeries are going to be occuring, I think it better to defer giving until the study is over. This is despite the assurances of the staff at the ARC that I’m still an eligible candidate.

To that end, beware. I’m coming after you with a hellfire of vengeance and I’m driving to get you to donate in my place. If you think my normal instructions are taxing, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

I will follow people to the ends of the earth. I will call, write, e-mail, and do everything I can think of to get as many people to donate as possible. Prepare, for I am Legion…O_o…wait, no I’m not. I’m KaliTime. Nevermind.

Point is…go and donate! Please? /poking out the cute puppy lip/

Went to donate yesterday. Apparently, they’ve changed their system since the last time I went in.

If only people would sign up to donate…/inducing a guilt trip in you through a glare/

I’m going in on Saturday if anyone would like to join me. They do both Whole Blood and Apheresis on that day. You’ve got to make an appointment for Apheresis but I think you can just drop in for Whole Blood. Check to make sure though.

They’ve got cookies, pretzels, juice, and water. They’ve got sodas too but I’m not a big fan of carbonated beverages and so I don’t usually recommend them.

The information is here.

For anyone with the “Meet someone from 43things” goal, you’d effectively get to do two things in one day…or even three since I’d probably snog you for showing up. That would take care of the “kissing” one. :p

Why are people so afraid of the needles? They don’t hurt nearly as much as the small ones used for vaccinations. :(

Wow, I have a sponsorship thanks to a guy on SU who met the qualifications I put on the pleadings page. I <3 him.

So that’s a blood donor and a sponsorship. I had to really start putting out better entries after an endorsement like that.

I just wrote e-mails to the fansite webmasters of two actors I admire in the hopes that their high visitor rate might aid in the drive. The full details are on my Blood Blog but I figured I’d put it here as well in the hopes that others might view this and do the same if they’re a fan of someone or if they have a high traffic website.

This is something we can all pitch in to do. :-)

Now that midterms are over, I think I might start another campaign.

I’ve got a few extra chips to spare on Blogshares, my SU page, and a lot of initiative this time around. Plus, I’ve got my printer, the bulletin boards at school, and the auspices of the SGA at CCBC Catonsville to approve the runoffs I make.

If it does come, it’s coming in the Spring. Right now is not the right time for it as everyone is frayed enough from all the tests they’ve been taking as well as the stress of wrapping up the semester in a few weeks. Late Winter Intercession/Early Spring would give a lot of people a chance to participate without the immediate stress of doing too many things at once.

I’ll have to work this out carefully. That’s for sure.

My math teacher, while calling the roll, saw my ARC hat and T-Shirt and asked me whether I ‘gave blood or did I just steal the shirt’. I told him I did apheresis and got a puzzled look before I explained briefly. I’m hoping that wearing as much ARC gear as possible on a daily basis will get everyones interest up in considering donation.

I have recently been going out in at least a Red Cross hat if I could and at most a hat and t-shirt to promote blood product donation awareness. Given that I ditched most of my wardrobe aside from my ARC shirts, this is now pretty easy to do.

I’ve even gotten a few comments from people about it and one or two requests for the telephone numbers for Apheresis and Whole Blood donation. I just hope they actually went through with it.

It was actually kind of funny. A lot of people blank on hearing the word ‘Apheresis’ and until I explain what it is, they’re staring at me like I’m from Mars or something. Once they understand that it’s usually donating plasma and/or platelets, they totally understand.

I just get a little peeved about the ‘Are you doing it for money?’ comments. I get nothing from this aside from orange juice and pretzels, as well as the occasional volunteer gift like a t-shirt or something.

I did get one good comment though from someone who knew what was involved. I was at Mondawmin Metro station waiting for the train and this lady came up to me and asked me whether or not I worked for the ARC and when I told her that I just did Apheresis, she told me about how it had saved her life once to get donations when she was in hospital and that she really respected what I did. Whoa…heavy. I was so floored that I thanked her for thanking me.

When I went into apheresis, I told them about this campaign and they were impressed. I must try to get more exposure for this campaign. Any ideas?