Sixty nursing students from American University of Health Sciences (AUHS) donated blood to the American Red Cross (ARC) on Monday, February 27, 2017. The Red Cross arrived on AUHS’ campus on a red and white mobile blood bus and parked beside Building 1. Students came as early as 9 am in the morning to donate. The students arrived with their peers, and others came on their own. There were students who had donated blood to the ARC several times before and there were those who came to donate blood for the very first time.“I’ve never donated blood before so I’m kind of excited,” said AUHS nursing student Sheena Spurling from Cohort 20, “I also work in a hospital so I see traumatic events where people need blood transfusions and I know there’s only a limited supply. I’ll keep doing it because I see patients need it all the time.”

Spurling expressed her admiration for the Red Cross and their contributions to community outreach and health care.

“I like the The Red Cross. They’re really friendly and I believe that they’re trying the best they can to go out there and help people,” Spurling said, “It’s not a selfish act, they’re trying to help all communities not just this one.”

Spurling applauded the collaboration between AUHS and the ARC. She liked how AUHS students were given the opportunity to not only make a difference in their local community but were able to “do something that may benefit somebody in a different state or a different town.”

AUHS nursing student Marilyn Alvarado from Cohort 16 also volunteered at AUHS’ Blood Drive and understood how the blood she donated today could help save a life tomorrow.“I decided to donate because I really like helping others and if my blood can help other people, I’m willing to do it not only today but in the future as well,” said Alvarado.

Alvarado worked in a medical-surgery unit at a hospital for her clinical hours at AUHS and experienced first-hand the patients who were extremely anemic and needed blood blood transfusions.

AUHS nursing student Katherine Perez-Tobar from Cohort 16 also works in an operating room unit in a hospital therefore donating blood is very dear to her heart because she sees how many of the patients that receive surgery need blood transfusions.

“I’ve decided to donate blood because I know it would benefit the community. I know how important these blood donations are for the recipients,” Perez-Tobar said.

Perez-Tobar believes that the AUHS Blood Drive is a great opportunity for AUHS students to make a difference and suggested that the Blood Drive should be open to the public so members of the Signal Hill and Long Beach communities could donate as well.

“Some people in the community do feel strongly about donating to help others,” Perez-Tobar said.

AUHS is a private, for-profit, minority owned, minority serving, Christian-based university whose mission is to educate and equip students with life careers and to produce quality health care professionals for the community, the nation and the world. It is a university where appreciation of life and one’s spiritual reason for existence can be nurtured.
AUHS offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (BSPS) and a Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR). To request more information, email admissions@auhs.edu or call (562) 988-2278. For the latest news, pictures and videos of American University of Health Sciences’ events, like us on Facebook @auhs.edu and follow us on Twitter @AUHS_Campus and Instagram @auhsedu.