On Saturday, 21 November 2009, the 9th Blood Drive sponsored by the Rotary Club of Liamuiga (RCL) took place at the Human Simulation Lab at the International University of Nursing (IUON). The sponsorship by the Club consists of providing gifts of specially printed t/shirts for all donors (and those who apply) as well as the promotion of each Event by Club Members within their respective organizations and to the general public.
The Phlebotomy Lab of the Joseph N. France General Hospital provides the equipment and skilled personnel to conduct the Blood Drives. The third sponsor is the Student Nurses Association of the International University of Nursing which is an American nursing university located in West Farm, St. Kitts, West Indies.
Championing the cause of Blood Donation followed on the heels of our Club’s Health Fairs which started in late 2006, and is seen as a natural continuum in our contribution to Community Health and Welfare. The Blood Drive is the ‘brainchild’ of our current President Elect and Director of Club Public Relations, Mr. Eustace Warner, who had for some time been discussing with personnel at the JNF General Hospital the need to stimulate Blood Donation by members of the community, but an appropriate venue had not been available to facilitate this. With the opening of the Human Simulation Lab at the IUON, a very attractive and appropriate venue was realized. The spacious, four room area facility, which is primarily utilized in the training of students at the University, includes supplies and equipment and is maintained as a Virtual Hospital.
Since early 2007 a Blood Drive has been conducted each semester. The blood donations have grown from the initial 10 units of blood per session to the current ‘harvest’ of 28 units. In addition, the pool of donors has grown from Rotarians and Students, to increasing numbers of members of the general community. The Rotary Club of Liamuiga has found the increased community participation to be a very reliable indicator of our Club’s efforts to educate the community about the necessity and safety of ‘doing good’ as a Blood Donor.
