Jasmine Thibou, Taliscia Johnson and Carmen Shepherd give blood during Bloodanooga at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student center.
Staff Photo by Angela Lewis/Chattanooga Times Free PressRiana Lawrence knew it was time to give blood again after her friend suffered injuries in a January motorcycle accident.
“He needed 50 pints of blood during his treatment,” said Lawrence, a freshman at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. “That definitely motivated me.”
Lawrence was of one of more than 400 students who lined up to give blood at Blood Assurance’s third annual Bloodanooga, held Thursday at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga University Center.
“Events like this are really a big boost and have the potential to get us out of our deficit,” said Bonnie Phillips, marketing and special events coordinator for Blood Assurance.
Blood supplies have been at critically low levels this winter, according to Blood Assurance officials. The snow and the flu kept people away from blood drives, Phillips said, and the heavy number of shootings during March also put a strain on supplies.