SYLVANIA, OH (WTOL) - A group of students at Lourdes University is helping to give the gift of life to others who need it.
The Red Cross Club held a blood drive Tuesday as the bad weather and flu outbreaks have recently diminished supply.
This year, about 600 blood drives were canceled due to bad weather, and those who are sick with the flu can't contribute.
Blood drive coordinator Margaret Janiga says blood is always in high demand.
"Blood only has a shelf life of about 56 days. There's always that constant need, there's always someone who needs it. If someone needs a blood transfusion for an accident, or a cancer, patient, it's always being used," Janiga explained. "It's very important to be donating blood because with the flu epidemic kind of happening right now there's been a blood shortage, less donors available to donate, so they're just trying to get numbers back up."
The Red Cross Club at Lourdes University teamed up with the student organization Love Your Melon, which raises awareness about pediatric cancer.
Students also made Valentines cards for young patients in the hospital. The Love Your Melon student organization will deliver them later this month.
The blood collected Tuesday will go to local hospitals.
