Earlier this fall, the Ross Medical Education Center campus in Davison, Michigan hosted a blood drive for staff, faculty, and students in conjunction with Michigan Blood. The Davison campus and the many other Michigan Ross campuses are always pleased to work with and support the Michigan Blood organization and mission. Michigan Blood is an independent, nonprofit blood bank which services 75 hospitals throughout the state.
Michigan Blood has made assisting hospitals statewide their number one priority. With that as their focus, they are able to gather roughly 125 thousand blood donations each year to support this cause. Partnering with Michigan Blood is also a good choice for Ross students because the blood drive is able to take place right at the campus.
It also provides a unique and powerful educational experience. About two weeks before the drive takes place, Michigan Blood sends a representative to the campus to give a small presentation to each class. They take the time to explain the importance of blood donations in the state, and they make themselves available to answer any questions the students may have.
It is at the time of the presentation and onward that the campus is able to start signing up students for appointments to donate blood so that everything runs smoothly. However, they are also able and encouraged to sign up the day of the event as well if they didn’t before. The day of the blood drive, the Michigan Blood team arrives early and they are able to pull their donation bus right up to the door. At their scheduled times, students then to go to the bus in shifts every fifteen minutes.
The most recent Ross Davison blood drive took place between noon and 4 p.m. with a total of thirteen students, one faculty member, and one staff member participating. Twelve successful donations were collected, out of which nine were first time donors. The campus is already looking forward to their next event with Michigan Blood!