Continued blood donations urged

By Emily Richmond

Thursday, Sept. 20, 2001 | 11:11 a.m.

Officials at Southern Nevada's largest blood bank are urging people to keep up the patriotic momentum of donations.

"This is a marathon, not a race," said Dan Perlstein, spokesman for United Blood Services, which provides blood products for 19 area hospitals. "Wonderful, caring people turned out last week to give blood. The challenge now is to build on that surplus with an organized schedule of regular donations."

More than 1,500 units were collected at the organization's four blood banks as well as mobile drives at Mandalay Bay, Bellagio and MGM Grand.

Hospitals in the Las Vegas area use up about 1,500 units of blood each week, Perlstein said.

Some donors waited up to eight hours to give blood at sites in Las Vegas and Henderson, mirroring the long lines at blood centers across the country.

The heroes weren't just the donors lining up outside the blood center, Perlstein said. The technicians inside worked long hours handling the unexpected overflow.

Daniel Ware, assistant donor care supervisor, spent the day of the attack on the job at a mobile blood drive and then worked at the main center until 3 a.m. After catching a few hours sleep at the center, Ware continued working throughout the next day.

Ware, on behalf of United Blood Services, accepted a commendation Wednesday from Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new system that monitors the nation's blood supply on a daily basis. While supplies are currently adequate, with most hospitals reporting enough blood products for five to six days, more donors are still needed, said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.

"When this disaster is behind us, the need for blood will still be here, and we need to do a better job in maintaining steady, reliable donation," Thompson said.