By Kathryn Kelman/ne news editor

On all campuses, TCC health services are looking for blood to help restore the community’s dangerously low blood supply.

On average in the United States, 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day, and an emergency call for donations was issued in January by both the American Red Cross and Carter BloodCare after the blood shortage reached a critical level.

This shortage is due to the normal decline in donations over the holidays coupled with blood drives being canceled and a more-than-anticipated increase in the amount of blood used by hospitals for their patients.

The NW Campus blood drives are scheduled 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 1 in WSTU 1303, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. March 1 between WFAB and WTLO, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. May 2 in WSTU 1303.

The NE Campus blood drives are scheduled 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 8 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 12 outside of the Student Center by the chessboard area.

The South Campus blood drives are scheduled for 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 8 and April 5 on the SSTU North Patio.

SE and TR campuses have already hosted four blood drives between their campuses, but many opportunities are coming up for students and faculty on all campuses to donate to the Red Cross or Carter Blood Care.

The next SE blood drive is scheduled 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 19 outside the North Ballroom.

TR’s campus blood drives are scheduled 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 11 in TRTR 4202 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 12 in the TRE Campus parking lot.

Appointments are encouraged for the blood drives, but walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call Carter BloodCare at 1-800-DONATE4 or the North Texas American Red Cross at 1-800-RED CROSS.