Red Cross looking for donors for its quarterly blood drive

Andrea Quintana ’02 was one of the first to donate blood at Harvard’s Red Cross Blood Drive, which continues at Memorial Hall today (Thursday, Feb. 21) and tomorrow. “It costs me nothing and it can help someone else,” said Quintana, who has participated in nearly all of Harvard’s quarterly blood drives since her freshman year.

A team of eight nurses and Red Cross staffers and about 40 Harvard student volunteers are poised to receive up to 400 donors during this three-day drive. Would-be donors can make an appointment in advance (800) 462-9400 x2093 or walk in for the hourlong process.

Although blood supplies swelled after Sept. 11, blood has a limited shelf life and the Red Cross stresses that the need is ongoing. “It’s definitely needed,” said Pamela Leach of the American Red Cross Blood Services, New England Region, noting that every unit of blood could help between three and six people. “Even in this day and age, you still can’t go to amazon.com and have a unit of blood shipped to you,” she added. “The only way to get blood is by people rolling up their sleeves.”

– Beth Potier