Are you...
- Interested in earning volunteer hours remotely?
- Passionate about public health?
- Ready to make a difference in your community while also helping to address the national blood shortage?
The newly formed University Blood Initiative (UBI) chapter at UIC encourages all students, regardless of major, to apply.
What is UBI?
UBI is a grassroots organization that empowers local blood donation centers to combat the national blood shortage that has only been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal is to empower dedicated young leaders towards supporting local blood centers to fulfill the needs of their communities for a healthier tomorrow.
Why is blood donation important?
- Hospitals need about 31,000 units of whole blood per day
- A patient needs a blood transfusion every 2 seconds
- Whole blood only lasts for 42 days, so we need a large blood supply that is constantly replenishing itself—in other words, we need lots and lots of repeat donors
- Transfusions are crucial for saving lives and are typically used for trauma patients, cancer patients, open-heart surgery, organ transplants, and treating sickle cell disease
- 37% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate, yet only 5% donate annually. The average blood donor is 40 years old, which will become a problem as donors age out and are not replaced by young donors
- The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has canceled more than 4,500 blood drives, causing shortages in blood supply for surgeries throughout hospitals.
- Researchers are looking for plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to help develop treatments
Our chapter will:
- Communicate directly with our local blood center representative to organize blood drives through Versiti, a national leader in blood health solutions
- Network with local businesses to gain community support for our local blood donation center, Versiti, while playing a role in alleviating health disparities caused by the national blood shortage
- Engage with the UIC campus and local community to raise awareness on the importance of blood donation
- Create social media content to spread awareness on the need for blood donation
You will:
- Help support our local community blood donation center
- Gain experience working with a student-led grassroots organization
- Contribute to the growth of the UIC UBI chapter
- Develop leadership, communication, networking, and teamwork skills
- Learn about blood donation and confront the blood shortage crisis our nation is experiencing
- Become part of a dynamic and caring community of passionate people working to make a difference in the world
Both General Member and Executive Board Member positions are available! Please apply by August 17, 2020 to be considered!
Apply here.
