M.U.M. hosting blood drive Thursday

Maharishi University of Management will host a Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center blood drive from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday in the Agiro Student Center.

Donors who last gave blood on or before Sept. 19 are eligible to give again.

To schedule an appointment, contact Josh Wilson at stuact@mum.org or the blood center by calling 800-747-5401 or visiting the website www.bloodcenterimpact.org.

Eligible donors must be at least 17 years of age ? or 16 with a signed parental permission form available at www.bloodcenter.org ? and weigh more than 110 pounds. A person with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure can be accepted as an eligible donor. A photo identification or Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center donor card is required to donate.

According to blood center officials, blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45-60 minutes; one pint of blood can help save the lives of up to three patients, and one out of every five people entering the hospital will need blood products.

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center is the provider of blood and blood components to more than 87 hospitals in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. It is the exclusive provider to Jefferson County Health Center and the Van Buren County Hospital.