Give Blood
Somewhere in the United States, someone needs blood every two seconds. The American Red Cross is the nation’s largest supplier of blood, plasma, and tissue. These blood and blood components are used in emergency services, in the treatment of cancer patients and people with blood disorders, and in other lifesaving treatments that benefit countless individuals across the country.
Click here to find a blood drive near you
Click here to find out how giving blood saves lives!
Who Can Give Blood
Virtually any healthy person can donate blood. There are very few restrictions: Your health must be good. You must weigh at least 110 pounds and you must be more than 17 years old.
How Blood is Given
Giving blood is simple and safe. Trained Red Cross health care specialists will help you through the donation process. All in all, it takes about an hour and 15 minutes. Here is what happens: First we spend a few minutes registering you as a donor. Next, we give you a mini-physical to check your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure. We also check you iron level. Next, we will collect a unit of blood (about a pint). You will feel a slight pinch when the needle is inserted, but this feeling lasts for only a second. Overall, the procedure is painless.
Why Giving Blood Is Safe
The American Red Cross does its best to make certain your blood donation will be a pleasant, safe experience.
We check your health before allowing you to donate blood. We use a new sterile needle and plastic bag to collect the blood. Both are used only once! This precaution guarantees that you cannot get an infection while donating blood.
How Your Blood Donation Is Used
Blood is fragile and usually must be used within 35 to 42 days. Each pint you give may help four or more patients.
Whole blood can be used to replace blood lost by patients who are suffering from massive bleeding. Blood can also be separated into components that are then used individually.
Plasma, the yellow liquid portion of blood, is a source of proteins that stop bleeding by forming blood clots. Patients such as hemophiliacs, whose own blood does not clot properly, need these proteins.
Platelets, which also aid in blood clotting, are fragile blood cells that leukemia and other cancer patients need. They must be transfused within five days of donation.
White blood cells are given to help patients, including newborn infants, fight severe infections.
Red blood cells help treat anemia and increase the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood during surgery.
Tissue Donation
More than half a million people a year live fuller, healthier lives because people like you become tissue donors.
ALMOST ANYONE CAN BE A TISSUE DONOR–Donors range in age from newborn to over 80. For the health and safety of those who receive donated tissue, a careful medical evaluation is always made at the time of death.
MANY KINDS OF TISSUE CAN BE DONATED TO SAVE AND IMPROVE LIVES–
Bone, Skin, Heart Valves, Tendons, Ligaments and Corneas are used in a wide range of vital medical procedures.