The Aurora Area Blood Bank will hold a blood drive July 26 at the Student Recreation Center and July 27 at the Holmes Student Center Illinois Room.

The blood drive is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs and will last from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. both days.

The Aurora Area Blood Bank supplies all the blood and blood components used by 26 northern Illinois hospitals. More than 1,500 pints of blood must be collected from volunteer blood donors every week to meet the needs of those hospitals.

Because of the importance of this blood drive, the blood bank offered information for those who are unaware of procedures.

For those who hate needles and are afraid of fainting, officials at the blood bank said reactions generally are caused by improper breathing due to nervousness or lack of proper rest or an improper diet before donating. The key is to get a good night’s sleep, eat within four hours of donating, and relax.

With the recent AIDS scare, many people are afraid they will catch the disease by donating blood.

There is no risk of getting AIDS or any other disease according to blood bank officials. A new sterile needle is used for each donor.

The blood bank takes blood from individuals who meet the age requirements and are in general good health. However, the bank asks that individuals with a cold, sore throat or flu symptoms refrain from donating blood at the time of sickness and give at a later date.