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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1987)
Monday, March 2, 1987/The Battaiion/Page i i The Gift of Life... A Tradition at Texas A&M Texas A&M University's 72th Man tradition has, since 7959, resulted in over 52,733 units of volunteer blood donated to the benefit of patients in Texas hospitals. The Aggie Blood Drive has become one of the largest on-campus blood drives in the United States. It is sponsored each semester by students representing Student Government, Alphi Phi Omega, and Omega Phi Alpha. Their efforts yield overwhelming results deserving of The Blood Center at Wad ley's College of the Year Award. The Blood Center at Wadley is a non-profit regional blood center that serves the blood needs of hospitals throughout North Central Texas. It is one of the largest all-volunteer blood centers in the Southwest. As a founding member of the American Association of Blood Banks, Wadley participates in an organi zation that provides quality blood banking services to patients in hospitals throughout the United States. Therefore, blood drawn by Wadley is always available to hospitals nationwide through the National Clearinghouse. Together, The Blood Center at Wadley and the Texas A&M Aggies maintain a reliable and healthy blood supply for patients throughout Texas. The Aggie Blood Club is unique in that it provides blood replacement coverage to all students, former students, faculty and staff, and their families throughout the United States. Wadley offers a blood assurance program to Texas A&M University. The blood collected is distributed to needy patients within the blood's 42-day shelf life. Nevertheless, for the Aggie Blood Club Account, credit on each pint of blood collected can be extended for one year from the day of deposit. These "deposits" provide the club's members with a "balance" against which blood can be drawn when a member needs to replace blood used, much like a bank checking account. In November 1986, 2,390 Aggie pints were collected, therefore, 2,390 credits are available for blood replacement through November 1987. Credits from the Aggie Blood Club can be released by any member of the Aggie Blood Drive Committee and the Secretary of the Student Government Office. Wadley is a member of the Clearinghouse Association of the AABB. This association makes it possible to transfer credits from the Aggie Blood Club account to any member bank in the U.S. Thus, members who might find themselves in other cities when they need blood can have it replaced from the group account. Credits remaining in the account at the end of one year may be assigned to patients of the club's choice, i.e., charity patients. / Credits from the Aggie Blood Club cancel the replacement fee cost from a patient's bill. Anytime a patient uses blood, he is obligated to replace the blood used, that is, make some provision for the next needy patient. Since most insurance companies do not cover the replacement cost, the patient can either pay the cost, or call on friends and relatives to donate blood in his name, cancelling the cost. Through the Aggie Blood Club, the patient need only contact Wadley and Wadley will replace the blood or issue replacement credits, cancelling the replacement fee costs. The current replacement cost is $10. Many insurance companies normally cover the additional costs related to a blood transfusion. Health care is an expensive, yet priceless benefit. A pint of blood transfused could cost well over $100.00 when hospital costs are added. Among the total cost, blood banks often charge a processing fee. In keeping with a responsibility to a safe blood supply, the processing fee accounts for all stor ing, typing and testing performed on each pint. Testing which includes hepatitis, syphilis, and the HTLV-III testing for AIDS. The current processing fee cost is $48.00 and should an Aggie Blood Club member be without insurance, enough replacement fee credits ($10.00) could be issued resulting in the additional cancellation of the blood processing fee. Of course, the additional hospital costs would remain. There is no such thing as "free blood"! Life is precious. Your gift is priceless. And the Aggie Blood Club is a valuable resource to us all Donate at Our Upcoming Blood Drive, March 2, 3, 4, & 5. THE BLOOD CENTER at Wadley