"Boston is strong. Boston is resilient. Boston is our home." This statement, made by Thomas Grilk, executive director of the Boston Athletic Association, came a day after two bombs exploded in the city near the finish line of the annual Boston Marathon. Under attack, the city has come together as an enduring community. As a part of that community, Brandeis University stepped up with one of the busiest blood drives it's ever had.
On Monday, April 15, the finish line of the Boston Marathon shook with the tremors of two bombs, planted about 100 yards apart on Boylston Street in downtown Boston. Brandeis students, staff, faculty and family watched as paramedics, police, nurses and civilians came together to treat the wounded in an immediate and effective response that was christened "heroic" by President Obama.
Even though the city has once again been deemed safe and the immediate danger has passed, there is still much to be done to aid the road to recovery both for the wounded and for the entire community. As a school committed to social justice and outreach, Brandeis was ready to help in any way possible.
With more than 180 injured, the hospitals are in need of resources. With fortunate timing, Brandeis University's spring blood drive was scheduled to take place the week of April 16 to April 18.
According to a coordinator of the blood drive and Waltham Group member Chrissy Fischer '14, the number of donors registered to give blood was low Friday through Sunday, a typical occurrence for spring blood drives, she explained.
The problem with a low number of people willing to give blood, she explained, is that there must be enough donors for the American Red Cross, which assists the school throughout the process, to book the drive at Brandeis instead of at a different location.
However, after Monday's bombings, the drive experienced a huge jump in donors.
The school rallied, and the Brandeis community came together to offer what they could. Appointment times filled up and students often waited for more than an hour to donate in a large conference room equipped with two rows of physicians' tables, makeshift offices blocked with cardboard dividers for privacy, and two large round tables stacked tall with pizza boxes and Keebler Mint Sticks.
Fischer said that the atmosphere was "understanding," because, despite the long wait, "people wanted to be here because they wanted to help."
With a goal of 75 pints per day, Brandeis exceeded expectations with 99 pints on Tuesday, and 93 pints on Wednesday.
For the Red Cross, blood drives such as this one will help to replenish the pints used during the week. Account Manager James Gallant expressed his admiration, saying that events such as the Boston bombings show that the "community is strong, especially in public awareness. People have shown they're willing to help, especially when something like this affects us all," he says.
"There was a jump in donors everywhere," Gallant said, adding that there will be memorial drives throughout the summer. Generally, Red Cross books drives two months in advance. He also said that the hospitals have used more than the anticipated amount of pints, and will need to replace those with blood drives throughout the summer.
For Elena Unschuld '15, the Boston Marathon helped give more meaning to this year's blood drive. Although she has given blood in the past, and generally attends all of the school's drives, she admits that "the intention is important," and that events such as bombings help show how important the blood drives really are. As a native of Newtown, Conn., where 20 children and six educators were shot and killed, Unschuld said that it "never gets easier," but that she will always do what she can to help.
Katie Freschi '13 agreed, saying that she was "definitely shaken" by the marathon bombings but like Unschuld, she was already planning to give blood.
Rachel Nathanson '16, however, came to the blood drive as a first-time donor. She admitted that she was scared, but ready to overcome her fear for the benefit of her community.
"I felt compelled to help in any way I could. It was just convenient that there happened to be a blood drive on campus organized for the very next day," she said.
Like many, Nathanson acknowledged that the bombings disturbed her, and that she was overwhelmed with "sadness and sympathy" for those affected by the tragedy.
Overcoming her fear, Nathanson said that "giving blood was an amazingly rewarding experience. ... Before I walked into the room, I called my mom and she told me how proud she was of me. She donated for the first time recently as well. We talked about how we should donate together soon."
Through tragedy, the Brandeis community came together to provide the basic life source that now more than ever was desperately needed.