Blood drive intended to alleviate shortage

The Student Welfare Commission is sponsoring a blood drive
beginning today in an attempt to help offset a blood shortage that
has affected the entire nation.

The SWC, along with the Office of Residential Life, are helping
the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center by publicizing the drive to the
student body. The UCLA Medical Center, classified as a number one
trauma center, receives all the blood collected from the
drives.

The hospital receives a significant number of accident victims
and also treats a large number of cancer patients and organ
transplants.

Over 1,000 units of blood were collected last year, said Chris
Clarke, the blood drive’s assistant director.

“We hope to do better, even hoping for 400 units per
quarter,” he said.

Each donor contributes about one unit of blood and the
commission is expecting the numbers to go up because of increased
publicity. A table has been set up at Bruin Walk to attract more
students to sign up.

Donating blood through SWC also helps the UCLA Blood and
Platelet Center save money, since the national blood shortage has
prompted it to purchase blood from the American Red Cross at
upwards of $100 per unit.

“I feel that it doesn’t matter where people donate,
but it’s nice to know that the blood you donated goes to the
community hospital possibly to people you know,” said Henry
Lam, a fifth-year sociology student who has worked with the blood
drive the past four years.

During the fall quarter, the SWC usually sponsors the
“Beat ‘SC” blood drive. It has been a traditional
competition against the University of Southern California on who
can raise the most blood donations between. But due to scheduling
difficulties, the event will not happen this year.

The SWC also sponsors a blood drive every quarter, and students
can participate in each one without worrying about it affecting
their health.

“A lot of people don’t know that they can donate
approximately every two months,” added Lam.

The SWC is the official student blood drive sponsor at UCLA,
with seven volunteers working for the program. It is funded by the
Undergraduate Students Association Council, and if a proposed
student fee referendum passes today the additional funding would
help the commission further expand the program.

“It would be really good if the referendum passed,”
Clarke said.

Sports bottles will be given to this year’s donors and
four hours of comp time are available for UCLA employees who take
time out of work to donate.

The blood drive will take place on Friday, Nov. 1 and Nov. 6-7
at Ackerman 2414 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Students can sign in at the
Student Welfare Commission tables on Bruin Walk, send an e-mail
[email protected], or call 825-7586 to schedule an appointment.