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Thursday, December 5, 1996

MEDICAL CENTER:

Amount of donations routinely drop during busy holiday seasonBy Kathryn Combs

Daily Bruin Contributor

With the holidays steadily approaching, it's time to crawl out from under all that wrapping paper and take a break from the crowded malls and department stores, even temporarily stop studying for finals because UCLA is offering a chance to give one of the most precious gifts possible ­ the gift of life.

The UCLA Blood and Platelet Center is holding its second annual holiday blood drive during the months of December and January.

This drive, sponsored by medical center leaders, is an effort to extend the opportunity to donate to more members of the UCLA community and the community at large.

Karolyn Weide, senior specialist for the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center, explains why there is a special need for donations during the holidays.

"There are more car accidents during the holiday season (and) it's amazing how dramatically donations drop," Weide said.

The UCLA Blood and Platelet Center supplies the UCLA Medical Center with almost half of the blood it needs. This year, the center is aiming to supply 100 percent of the blood donations needed by UCLA and to increase the number of donors, starting with the UCLA students, staff and faculty.

"Helene DesRuisseaux, the deputy director for the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center, sponsored the blood drive last year and everyone seemed to cooperate a little better," said Kevin Clark, coordinator of blood donor resources for the Blood and Platelet Center.

"This is a real bad time of year for us ­ our usages go up and our donations go down,"Clark said. "Although students are good valuable donors, right now they are not available."

According to drive organizers such as Weide and Clark, it is during the holiday season, from November through the end of January, that blood and platelet donations drop dramatically as people focus on other concerns, such as finals and holiday festivities.

Clark says that despite people's numerous excuses for not donating, it is critical that they recognize the importance of donating blood to the community.

"It's in our own self-interest to donate ­ the better and safer blood we have, the more is available to patients," he said.

"We would like to get more community donors because we need more blood. When donations drop off, that results in a shortage for the greater Los Angeles area," Weide added.

Last year's drive garnered 469 donations, surpassing their goal of 450 donations.

For this year's blood drive, organizers hope to recruit 600 blood donors, which could provide blood components for approximately 1800 patients.

"For each single donor, we make blood components for three patients. You just aren't giving to one person, you're giving to three people," Weide said.

The Blood and Platelet Center is recruiting donors for all blood types, but specifically type O. Clark says that type-O blood is most often used in cases of emergency or trauma because it is universally compatible with all other blood types.

"I want to make the awareness of the community responsibility to the blood supply. I can not provide the product to the patients if it isn't there," he said.

Clark himself has donated over eight gallons of blood to the center and is an active recruiter for blood donations.

Volunteer efforts make a difference in both recruiting donors and making those who already give blood comfortable with their decision to do so.

Henry Brandler, a volunteer at the center, said that many people are unsure of donating, but stresses how satisfying it is to help out.

"I find it very rewarding ... I've had a successful life, now I want to give some back," Brandler said.

"It's a very touching thing, if I could help these people feel more at ease, I feel that I've done something." he added.

The Second Annual Blood Donor Drive is currently being held by the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center. For general information or to make an appointment call (310) 825-0888, extension 2. Donors will receive a seasonal t-shirt.

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