San Diego Blood Bank
is capitalizing on the thousands of people flocking to the city for Comic-Con this long weekend, running its annual
Robert A. Heinlein blood drive
.
The drive began in 1977 and is now in its 49th year. Heinlein, a prominent science fiction writer known for
Stranger in a Strange Land
among many other works, developed peritonitis in 1970.
The health complication caused swelling in his stomach lining and he required multiple blood transfusions. While Heinlein attended few conventions, he was invited to Comic-Con, and said he would come on one condition.
“When he was asked to come to the first Comic-Con, he said he would, but only if they would hold a blood drive while he was here. And, you know, 49 years later, here we are,” said Claudine Von Gonka of the San Diego Blood Bank.
While the blood drive only brought in a couple of hundred pints of blood in its early years, it has grown tremendously since. Last year, according to Gonka, the drive brought in just under 3,000 pints. This year its goal is to break 3,500 pints.
A big pull for the blood drive, beyond the opportunity to give back and help others, is the limited-edition shirts the blood bank gives away. Each year, donors get a free limited-edition Marvel T-shirt with their blood donation.
Last year it was Wolverine and Deadpool themed. This year’s shirt sports the Fantastic Four logo for
Fantastic Four: First Steps
, the film which opened in the United States on Thursday.
“I really like the Fantastic Four kind of logo,” Joe Alvarez, a donor, said. “I almost wasn’t gonna donate this year because we had a lot of stuff going on. But I saw that T-shirt that really made me want to come just specifically for that shirt.”
The shirt is such a big pull every year that the San Diego Blood Bank makes sure to order extra. And “regulars” come each year just for the shirts, which are specially designed in collaboration with Marvel and the blood bank.
If you can’t make the five-day blood drive, however, you can still get the shirt as a donor gift if you donate before the end of August.
The influx of donations from Comic-Con is critical in the summer months, Gonka said. She explained that the high school and college partners that host blood drives are on break; they typically account for about 20% of the San Diego Blood Bank’s collection.
Summer vacations also slow down donations due to temporary holds on donors who travel abroad.
“We have this blood drive in July in connection with Comic-Con, but then we try to extend it through August, just to make sure that we have enough blood on the shelf for the patients who are going to need it,” Gonka said
The drive’s popularity means it’s an all-hands-on-deck situation for blood bank staff. Employers of every level and every department are working around the clock to make sure things run smoothly. But they still have their fun during the drive as well.
The nursing staff dresses up in different themes each day of the drive, according to Gonka. And, the staff gets to interact with blood transfusion recipients, which doesn’t happen every day. This heartwarming encounters bring joy to the blood drive employees amidst the hustle and bustle of the day.
“It’s a huge point of pride for everyone on staff. People actually get really kind of revved up and excited to be a part of it,” Gonka said.
The drive no doubt makes for an interesting spectacle. While not everyone is in costume as they get their blood drawn, Gonka said she’s seen a Wonder Woman in the chair before.
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While some donors, like Alvarez, are attending the convention, others are just looking for things to do that are Comic-Con related. Tiffany Bailey used to be an avid Comic-Con attendee in the early 2000s but has since dialed back. She waited in line to donate on Thursday as a prelude to a Barbie Cafe experience with her daughter.
It was Bailey’s first time donating at the Heinlein blood drive but not her first time in the donation chair. Bailey is a retired nurse and started donating blood to get over her own fear of needles. She said she had no problem poking people, but she doesn’t love being on the receiving end.
And she may not have a Comic-Con pass this year but she still plans to enjoy all the convention has to offer.
“We came to people watch today. So, if I’m gonna donate blood, why not have something to look at?” she said while waiting in line.
The drive started on Comic-Con preview day and runs through Sunday. For those looking to donate — for a collectible T-shirt or for the people-watching — the drive is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
Walk-ins are welcome, but you can also make an appointment ahead of time to decrease wait time.
