Blood Drive at Central to support Maternal Health Awareness Day

Central’s Maternal Health Advocacy Club will host its fourth annual campus-wide blood drive on Tuesday, Feb. 3, in recognition of Maternal Health Awareness Day. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Student Center in Alumni Hall.

The blood drive supports maternal patients facing pregnancy-related complications, including postpartum hemorrhage, one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Blood donation plays a critical role in maternal healthcare.

“Events such as this blood drive directly support the healthcare infrastructure that protects pregnant and postpartum individuals while also raising awareness of the urgent need to improve maternal health outcomes in the United States,” says Tamara Holland, a Central Nursing professor and faculty co-advisor to the club.

Maternal health in the United States is an outlier among other developed countries, she says.

“The United States continues to experience significantly higher maternal morbidity and mortality rates,” Holland notes. “With approximately 800 women dying each year."

The Central Maternal Health Advocacy Club works to improve maternal health through education, awareness, and community outreach initiatives. 

"As a faculty co-advisor to the Maternal Health Advocacy Club, I work closely with student leaders to support their efforts in translating awareness into action,” Holland says. “This annual blood drive reflects the club’s ongoing dedication to meaningful, impact-driven advocacy and demonstrates how student-led initiatives can contribute to addressing systemic health disparities."

To make an appointment to donate blood, visit www.redcross.org and enter sponsor code CCSU.