Over 100 people in Western New York will need blood today, and 800 people in the Buffalo community are waiting for a life-saving transplant.
This Tuesday, students can do their part to help save a life by attending the "Help The Beat Go On" event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union.
This event is held as a result of Karen Swierski's Advanced Public Relations and Marketing Class (COM 453) and its campus-wide awareness campaign on the urgent need for organ, eye, tissue, and blood donation.
In conjunction with Upstate New York Transplant Services (UNYTS), the event not only strives to spread knowledge about these topics; it also encourages people to sign donation cards to become registered as organ and tissue donors.
Each year, more than 6,500 people die while waiting for an organ transplant. A single organ donor has the ability to save up to eight lives.
"It is so important for people to gather the facts about organ and tissue donation and have a conversation with their family members about their wishes to be a donor," said Danielle Keller, manager of education for UNYTS.
Blood donation is equally important, as just a single donation can save up to three lives.
"[Giving blood] does not hurt, as people often think," Keller said. "It might pinch for a second, but then it is fine. You are saving lives with your donation, so I always think that the little pinch is well worth it."
The COM 453 class planned the entire event after receiving a budget from UNYTS. The class then split into teams, which were assigned specific tasks, such as creating a social networking site, working on advertising, sending out press releases to the media, going into classrooms and encouraging students to attend, and organizing a blood drive.
The event will feature musical performances by UB's only all-male a cappella group, The Buffalo Chips; the UB Step Troupe; and former UB Idol Danny Stafford.
There will also be pizza, cotton candy, cookie decorating, and a variety of games, prizes, and raffles throughout the day.
"If students have even five minutes in their day, they should really stop by and eat some pizza and enjoy the entertainment," said Adrian Finch, a senior communication major. "My [public relations] class has worked really hard to organize this event, and I think it's going to be really fun and an eye-opening experience for many students."
The event will feature testimonials from people who have been saved by organ donation, which Finch hopes will touch students on an emotional level and prove just how important signing an organ donor card can be.
Next Monday, there will be a Bloodmobile in room 210 of the Student Union from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Donation cards will be available at both events and via the Facebook and Twitter pages. Students can sign up for the events and find more information online. The Twitter page is at "RhythmOfLife453" and the Facebook page is entitled "Keep The Beat Going."
"Students should really take time to attend the event and consider signing up to be an organ donor," Finch said. "It can be a scary thing to sign the organ donor card, but in doing so, you're pledging to save a life, and that's a pretty amazing thing."
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Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
