Drexel to Host 10th Annual CAA Blood Drive Challenge

Drexel is preparing to host the annual Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Blood Drive Challenge, which has emerged as one of the largest single-day blood drives in the geographic region.

The blood drive challenge started as a friendly competition between institutions to promote the critical importance of donating blood. Only 38% of the population is eligible to give blood and only 5% actually do.

Last year, Drexel won the CAA Blood Challenge for the fifth year in a row, shattering all previous records with 1,105 actual donors and 1,045 productive units of blood collected. Drexel became the first school in the nine-year history of the blood challenge to have more than 1,000 donors participate in the event.

This year’s blood drive will take place on Thursday, October 20, 2011 on all Drexel campuses. Those interested in donating can sign up at www.drexel.edu/giveblood. Those who cannot donate blood may still participate in the blood drive challenge by volunteering, making a donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund or participating in a letter-writing campaign to the FDA regarding its Donor Deferral Policy. For more information, contact the ACHIEVE Center at 215-895-2035.