Imagine you are taking a bicycle ride around Carbondale. It is a nice afternoon, and out of nowhere you are struck by a vehicle. The paramedics rush you to the hospital. The doctors are treating your injuries, but you have lost a substantial amount of blood. The doctors try to save you, but there is not enough blood to replace the blood you lost waiting for help.

Every day, accidents, surgeries and other medical procedures necessitate blood transfusions for people. According to the American Red Cross, someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds, but less than 5 percent of all eligible American donors donate each year.

Blood supplies in Southern Illinois are reaching dangerously low levels. The Red Cross stated this area uses about 1,000 pints a day. Recently the area had less than a half-day supply of blood and had a deficit of 4,100 pints.

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Not many people think about blood donation until they need it. A short supply of blood could mean the difference between life and death. That person could be a stranger, but it also could be a friend, relative or you.

There are many excuses to avoid donating. Some people have a fear of needles. The specialists at the blood drives are trained to insert needles with little or no pain to donors.

Even if there is some pain, the benefits far outweigh the minor discomfort a blood donor may feel for several minutes.

Another excuse is the lack of time. Busy schedules and engagements provide a prime reason to avoid donating blood. Drives on campus allow donors to make appointments that fit their schedules and remain open well into the evening on several days for walk-ins.

Some could say they cannot get to the location. There are several locations to donate on campus this week. Students have to be on campus at some point during the week. It cannot be too difficult to locate a building where a blood drive is operating.

Some people may even have the conceited What’s in it for me? attitude. Donors during this blood drive receive T-shirts and coupons for free food. Compensation should not be necessary for a simple effort that will save lives.

It is disheartening to see a blood crisis, especially around a college campus. The opportunity to save someone’s life with a half-hour or hour of a student’s time should be a good enough reason for students to get involved.

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