The late president of the Ohio University Campus Red Cross will be honored with a blood drive in his name today.
The Alex Bibler Memorial Blood Drive is scheduled for 2 to 8 p.m. at Ping Recreation Center. Bibler, 21, a third-year pre-med student studying mathematics, died Dec. 18 of natural causes in his sleep.
There's no better way to honor Alex than by having a successful blood drive. He was committed and devoted to Ohio University Campus Red Cross. Hospitals cannot go about daily operations without blood donations. That's something Alex was aware of. There are patients and hospitals that are counting on us
said Laurie Gatten, coordinator for donor recruitment at the Central Ohio American Red Cross.
Gatten said she anticipates the drive will raise 100 units of blood, compared to the average blood drive of 28 units. She added that hospitals in the 27 central Ohio counties collectively require 650 units of blood per day.
Lindsay Bibler, Alex Bibler's mother, said that her son's passion for the Red Cross began in 2000 when a tornado hit their family home in Cincinnati. Extensive damage was done to the house and surrounding neighborhood. The local Red Cross provided food and water to those in need.
Our whole family became Red Cross supporters she said.
Alex Bibler joined the Red Cross club during his freshman year, but was most interested in blood drives. He would mark his calendar every eight weeks so he knew when he could donate again, Lindsay Bibler said.
Regular blood donors are extremely important for hospital patients, said Rodney Wilson, communications and marketing manager for the Central Ohio American Red Cross.
The need for blood is constant. Most people don't realize what an ongoing need it is but 39
000 blood transfusions occur daily across the United States. I can't think of a better way to memorialize Alex than by collecting blood in his honor
he said.
The blood drive is accepting walk-in appointments. To give blood, donors must be at least 17-years-old, weigh 110 pounds, be in general good health and provide a photo ID.
I know Alex would be thrilled. I hope that people who knew Alex and maybe weren't already blood donors would consider doing so
Bibler said.
- Rebecca McKinsey contributed to this article.
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Callie Driehorst
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