Bush wants blood

2005-09-04 20:26

Washington - US President George W Bush called on Sunday for Americans to donate more blood, money and time to the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

"If you want to help this country heal after the result of this disaster, please give cash money to the Red Cross," Bush said on a television broadcast from the American Red Cross headquarters in Washington.

"I just passed the place where volunteers and staffers are taking calls from around the country, and the response has been good, but there's more that needs to be done," Bush said.

By Sunday the Red Cross had received $353m in donations related to the hurricane, an agency spokesperson said.

Bush stressed that the US relief agency, which already has some 5 000 volunteers working at Katrina victim shelters in 19 states, needs more manpower and especially blood donations.

Hurricane Katrina left hundreds of thousands of people homeless after it swept through the Gulf of Mexico coastal region on Monday.

"I can't think of anything more encouraging for someone who has endured the tragedy of a storm than to have a loving soul say, 'I'm here to help you'," Bush said.

The White House itself plans to hold a blood donation drive next Friday.

"I will be encouraging the employees there to donate blood. And I hope others will do so, as well," he said.

- AFP