As the blood drive begins this week, many people often have questions regarding the preparations needed to be able to donate. When donating blood, there are a few things everyone needs to know.

Co-directors Cory Bryant, junior in kinesiology and health, and Aaron Lorch, senior in agricultural systems technology, offer a few hints to help donors be prepared.

Lorch says one of the things people need to be aware of is the amount of time it takes.

“Plan for an hour,” he said. “By the time you come in and register and then wait to donate, it could take a while, but it could be as soon as 15 minutes.”

Eating is very important before arriving to donate.

“Make sure you come on a full stomach and you eat breakfast,” Lorch said. “After donating, you need to stay at the canteen and drink plenty of water and eat some food also.”

Bryant added some other suggestions.

“You want to eat an iron-rich diet so you have plenty in your system and are ready to donate,” Bryant said.

Some iron-rich breakfasts foods include cereal, bread and eggs.

One thing most do not consider are the restrictions that apply to those who have been out of the country recently.

“If you travel out of the country for Spring Break, please be sure to stop in and make sure that you’re eligible to donate blood,” Bryant said. “Don’t just assume you’re eligible.”

According to the American Red Cross official website, people must wait 12 months after traveling to an area where malaria is found and also after visiting Iraq. However, if someone has ever lived in one of these countries, they are required to wait three years before donating blood.

Although the ISU Blood Drive is not associated with the Red Cross, the travel restrictions still apply.

Bryant urged people afraid of needles to try and donate.

“No one is going to like needles or blood, but you have look at the big picture,” he said.

The Red Cross website states that although the average red blood cell transfusion is approximately three pints, a single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.

If someone really cannot handle blood or needles, it does not mean they can not help in some way. Lorch suggested volunteering as a way to give some support.

“We have a volunteers do things from recruiting other donors to leading people from the table to the canteen,” he said. “They really just help out where ever needed.”

People interested in signing up for a volunteer spot need to be sure to sign up ahead of time by emailing the ISU Blood Drive crew at [email protected]. Walk-in volunteers are not able to help.

The ISU Blood Drive runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.