NEWARK, DE – Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD) and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. drew 31 donors to the third, annual Dr. Charles R. Drew Memorial Blood Drive held Saturday, August 17.
In all, 26 red cell units were collected at the blood drive, BBD Account Manager Mary Moore said. What’s more, those units represented genetic diversity in the local community, and it the draw was good preparation for Sickle Cell Awareness Month in September.
This blood drive was created by the Gamma Mu Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. The national fraternity directed local chapters to hold blood drives in honor of Dr. Drew, a pioneering African-American surgeon and researcher known as the “Father of the Blood Bank.”
Dr. Drew, who passed away in 1950, is credited with inventing mobile blood donation stations, and with leading World War II’s “Blood for Britain” project, which resulted in the world’s first large-scale blood bank.
The recipient of BBD’s first annual Dr. Charles Drew Lifesaver Award, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. member William Garrett, coordinates this annual blood drive.
“We did not get to 50, but given all that early rain and two large competing events, I think we did well, Garrett said. “I created event surveys that were shared during the event to get real-time feedback. I’ll use those to help improve numbers next year.”
In all, 29% of the donors on August 17 were first-time donors, and eight donors were matches for sickle cell patients, Blood Bank of Delmarva Senior Director of Laboratories Kristin Frederick said. Four of the eight are considered rare donors, she added. One out of three African American blood donors are a match for sickle cell patients, and Omega Psi Phi’s Gama Mu Nu Chapter have helped increase the genetic diversity of BBD’s donors.
Garrett and several of his Omega Psi Phi, Gamma Mu Nu Chapter members were among the donors, including Dr. Marc Latta, Greg Smith, Joshua Dean, Grant Eldridge, and Marc Wilson.
“I was a recipient of tissue and blood, so I’ve always supported donations and things like this that help someone else,” Dean said.
Eldridge donated for the first time ever thanks to this blood drive.
“I always had something else to do; today is the day,” he said.
Special thanks to the Cecil’s World Classic volunteers and Middletown High School football team, who helped give out book bags and school supplies to members of the local community.
