The Harvard College Red Cross started out as the Harvard Blood Drive, which began the tradition of holding four blood drives over the academic year. In 2007, the Harvard Blood Drive merged with the Harvard College Red Cross, which had been organized to provide disaster and training services to Harvard and the greater community. Today, the Harvard College Red Cross acts as a source of awareness for the importance of blood donations and continues to organize blood drives four times a year. One of the many highlights of our year is the Harvard-Yale Blood Drive in February. This special drive is a competition between Harvard and Yale, for which each school designs a shirt. Past Harvard themes include "Starve a Mosquito... Give Blood" and "We All Bleed Crimson."
Our main mission is to support the efforts of New England Blood Services and provide blood to the many hospitals in the Boston area. The donated blood goes to a Red Cross blood component laboratory to be processed before it reaches the hospitals. In addition, a very important goal of our efforts is to involve the Harvard community, to bring volunteers and donors together and to make connections and friends among people trying to make a difference. The Harvard Blood Drives serve as a great way for students to get involved with the vibrant culture of public service at Harvard, and make an immediately quantifiable contribution. Besides donating, any undergraduate may volunteer at the registration and canteen tables. Volunteers may register for individual time slots in the week prior to the event, and no experience is necessary.
The Harvard community donates almost 1000 pints of blood each year, saving close to 3000 lives (each donation/pint of blood can save up to three lives). Even though most people have enough blood to spare, there is still a great shortage of donors. Additionally, donated red blood cells are not immortal and have a shelf-life of only 42 days. Anybody in good health, at least 17 years of age, and at least 110 pounds can donate. Healthy donors may donate every 56 days to make sure that blood is available for patients when they need it. For more information about the donation process, please click on the "Donor Info" link on the side menu.
We hope to see you at a blood drive soon!
Saher Sadique
Director of Blood Services
Our main mission is to support the efforts of New England Blood Services and provide blood to the many hospitals in the Boston area. The donated blood goes to a Red Cross blood component laboratory to be processed before it reaches the hospitals. In addition, a very important goal of our efforts is to involve the Harvard community, to bring volunteers and donors together and to make connections and friends among people trying to make a difference. The Harvard Blood Drives serve as a great way for students to get involved with the vibrant culture of public service at Harvard, and make an immediately quantifiable contribution. Besides donating, any undergraduate may volunteer at the registration and canteen tables. Volunteers may register for individual time slots in the week prior to the event, and no experience is necessary.
The Harvard community donates almost 1000 pints of blood each year, saving close to 3000 lives (each donation/pint of blood can save up to three lives). Even though most people have enough blood to spare, there is still a great shortage of donors. Additionally, donated red blood cells are not immortal and have a shelf-life of only 42 days. Anybody in good health, at least 17 years of age, and at least 110 pounds can donate. Healthy donors may donate every 56 days to make sure that blood is available for patients when they need it. For more information about the donation process, please click on the "Donor Info" link on the side menu.
We hope to see you at a blood drive soon!
Saher Sadique
Director of Blood Services