University Plans Blood Drive

University Health Services (UHS) is planning a University-wide blood drive in coordination with the American Red Cross in response to yesterday’s events. Initial plans are for buses to take donors to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women’s Hospital and other donation sites during the next several days.

Buses will pick people up from Cambridge and the Business School. Times and locations are still to be determined.

The blood drive is an alternative to what many have been hoping to do--give blood independently at the Red Cross or at hospitals. Indeed, interest in giving blood has been so overwhelming that the Red Cross has asked potential donors to wait until Friday to give blood.

“We’ve been inundated with people, it’s been generously overwhelming,” said Red Cross spokesperson Mary Thang. “[Interest has] been so terrific that we have to ask the public to be patient with us.” Thang estimated that the number of calls made by yesterday afternoon to the Massachusetts Bay chapter of the American Red Cross was in the “upper three digits.”

She asked those who want to give blood to call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE after Thursday.

Interest in donating blood at MGH and Brigham and Women’s Hospital was also high, spokespersons said. MGH extended its donations hours to 7 p.m. yesterday as well as today. Donors are asked to call (617) 726-8177 to make an appointment before coming in.

Brigham and Women’s, which opened a second blood donation room to keep up with interest, extended its hours on Tuesday and plans on extending its hours at least through today until 8 p.m.

The Red Cross is also holding a blood drive at MIT. Hours today are from noon to 6 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday. Appointments are no longer being accepted, so expect a wait for walk-in donations.

Several hundred students wanting to give blood have already called or dropped by UHS to leave their contact information, said UHS Director David S. Rosenthal `59.

“There’s been a lot of interest,” Rosenthal said. “That’s why we want to get this message out, that it’s not just today, but we’ll need donations long-term.”

Students can also e-mail UHS at donation@uhs.harvard.edu with contact information and blood type. For updated information, check out www.uhs.harvard.edu.

Kyle G. O’Brien ’02 was one of the students who dropped by UHS yesterday to try to donate blood. A Long Island resident, O’Brien said he wanted to give blood to help the victims.

“[We’ll do] anything we can do to help,” he said. “It’s hard because half my hometown, along with my family and friends, works in that building. Fortunately they all got out, but it hits close to home.”

Among other relief efforts, UHS is also compiling a list of organizations accepting food and clothing donations.

Rosenthal added that mental health counselors are available through Friday to counsel students affected by the tragedy.

Support groups will be meeting through Friday in the Holyoke Center’s fourth floor Wacker Room, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Individuals can also walk in for counseling on the fourth floor of UHS from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on the fifth floor from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Students can also call into UHS for counseling. Call (617) 495-2042 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and to (617) 495-5711 from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Several mental health counselors were dispatched to the College and to the graduate schools yesterday.

Memorial Church chaplains are also available during University hours, at (617) 495-5508.

--Staff writer Juliet J. Chung can be reached at jchung@fas.harvard.edu.