University of Houston’s Student Centers Partners with GCRBC to Host Weekly Blood Drives 

DSAES News
July 21, 2022

Beginning Tuesday, February 2, 2021, The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center (GCRBC) will begin holding weekly blood drives in the Downtown Room of the Student Center South on the University of Houston campus.

The University of Houston Student Centers and GCRBC would like to continue this trend even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “This partnership started over 20 years ago, but when we heard they were struggling, we agreed to host the drives inside, as we are currently the location of the university’s mobile COVID testing site,” explained Eve Esch, Director of the Student Centers.

The GCRBC’s donations have been down 80% since the pandemic started. They provide blood to 170 hospitals in the greater Houston area.

Since 2000, 796 blood drives have been hosted at the University of Houston with 25,331 blood donations which have saved 75,993 lives. Additionally, they are now conducting donation and collection of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma (CCP). This is encouraging, as it may be an effective treatment when given early to hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Those interested in signing up can go to the University of Houston Blood Drive page.

For more information, please contact: Eve Esch (713) 743-3040.