HAZLETON, Pa. — The Greater Hazleton Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association and Penn State Hazleton THON are teaming up with the American Red Cross to sponsor a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22, at Penn State Hazleton’s Evelyn Graham Academic Building, located at 76 University Drive in Hazleton.
For each presenting donor, the Red Cross will donate $4 to the Penn State Hazleton THON to benefit the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Children's Hospital. All presenting donors will receive a free Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.
The blood drive is open to the public. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome as space allows. To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code PSUHAZLETON or call 1-800-REDCROSS.
The THON blood drive comes as the Red Cross faces a winter blood shortage. Winter storms this month have forced many blood drives to cancel, causing thousands of blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. Blood and platelet donations are urgently needed now so patients can continue to receive the life-saving treatments they need. Right now, blood products are being distributed to hospitals as fast as they are coming in.
This is the 12th year Penn State Hazleton THON has organized a blood drive at the campus to support their cause. THON members will assist the American Red Cross with recruiting donors on campus prior to the bloodmobile and serve as donor escorts and snack table staff during the event.
The partnership between the American Red Cross and THON began in 2001 to help sustain regional blood inventories.
The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, or THON for short, is the world's largest student run philanthropy, raising money for the families of pediatric cancer patients at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. Last year, THON raised more than $10 million. A total of $137 million has been raised since 1977.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, from a computer or mobile device. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.