Lawrence resident Jennifer Means went to the Community Blood Center Thursday with no appointment – just the thought that her blood could help hurricane relief efforts.

“I’ve donated before, and I knew this was something I could do today,” Means said.

The Community Blood Center earlier this week provided 15 pints of O negative blood to Mississippi. It’s been the only request for blood at this time, said David Graham, a blood center spokesman. But he expects the demand will soon increase.

“It will take time for blood centers to be up and running in areas hit by Hurricane Katrina,” Graham said.

Graham said blood supplies also could assist about 30 children relocated from New Orleans to Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Mo.

The Community Blood Center, which is based in Kansas City, provides blood to 75 hospitals throughout Kansas and Missouri, including Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Officials said hurricane and holiday weekend demands mean the always present need for blood is increasing.

Doug Dwyer, of Lawrence, right, rests after donating blood as Vicky Baldridge records Dwyer's information on the package at the Community Blood Center.

“Our supplies of O negative and O positive blood could be better,” said Travis Mullins, collection supervisor for the Community Blood Center in Lawrence. The organization has about a two-day supply of O negative blood, which can be given to all people regardless of their blood type.

The organization began seeing blood donations increase at its different area centers on Wednesday, Graham said, though the Lawrence center has seen its donations at or below normal levels this week.

“We’ve almost been seeing a delayed effect,” he said. “People were just shocked at first, and now they are getting past that and wanting to help, and that puts us in a great position to help supply area hospitals. But we want extra blood to send to areas hit by the hurricane if it’s needed.”

Blood has a shelf life of about 42 days, Graham said. He said it’s important for all donors to continue providing blood to replenish the supply and provide a reserve.

“If people can’t donate blood right now, we’ll need your donation later,” he said. “If they can donate, we ask that they continue donating blood to help out their community and hurricane-relief efforts.”