Hood Theological Seminary will host a blood drive on Saturday, April 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Community Bloodmobile of The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) will be located in the parking lot next to the Security Office on the seminary campus at 1810 Lutheran Synod Drive.

While donors of all ethnicities are needed, “There is a critical need for blood donations from the African-American and black communities,” said Dr. Dora Mbuwayesango, Hood Seminary professor and dean of students who organized this blood drive. “Unfortunately, African-Americans are disproportionately impacted by certain diseases which are treated through blood transfusions, such as sickle cell anemia.”

According to the CBCC, sickle cell anemia affects more than 80,000 people in the United States, 98 percent of whom are African-American. Many need periodic blood transfusions to help treat the effects of the disease.

Certain blood types are unique to specific racial and ethnic groups so it is crucial that the donor diversity match the patient diversity. For example, U-negative and Duffy-negative blood types are unique to the African-American community. Therefore, sickle cell patients with these blood types must rely on donors with matching blood types in the African-American community.

Blood from donors of the same ethnic background decreases the risk of complications for patients and is less likely to be rejected by the patient after a transfusion. Having more African-American blood donors increases the likelihood that sickle cell patients here in our community will find the match they need. Also, increasing African-American donations is vital because blood types O and B, the blood types of about 70 percent of African-Americans, are the blood types most in demand.

In 1938, African-American researcher Charles Drew made key discoveries regarding blood plasma that earned him the title “father of blood banking.” Dr. Mbuwayesango stresses that members of the African-American and Black communities can continue to play an important role in saving lives through blood donations. “Please come to Hood on the 18^th to give blood during this season of Easter and save a life!”

To schedule a time, please visit https://www.ncdonor.com/index.cfm?group=op&step=2&opid=45069 or call Mbuwayesango at 704-636-6077.

The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas is an independent, locally-managed, non-profit community blood center. A member of America’s Blood Centers, a group of 72 independent blood centers that supplies 50 percent of the country’s blood, they are the primary blood supplier to the region’s patients and hospitals.