Members also hope to set up a program with local hairdressers to encourage hair donations for patients suffering from leukemia and other terminal diseases.
But perhaps their most immediate goals is to get more Harvard students to sign organ donor cards and to make more people aware of the possibility of donating bone marrow.
To this end, YODA attempted to make its presence felt during last week's American Red Cross blood drive on campus.
However, the group's role was limited because it was still awaiting a delivery of organ donor cards. The group plans to be out in force again at the next drive in November.
While last night's meeting had only nine attendees, the group will split into committees, each concentrating on a different topic area. The committees will write about that area to help compile the group's information base, and try to get experts in the field involved with the planned symposium.