Whole Blood Donation
 

Blood cannot be manufactured; it must come from lifesaving donations. Whole blood is a living tissue that circulates through the body carrying oxygen and nutrients that sustain life. It contains red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Each whole blood donation can touch three lives when separated into the various components.

One out of three people will need blood in their lifetime. Those who are seriously injured or undergo major surgery often lose half of their total supply of eight to ten pints. That loss can be fatal if it is not replenished quickly with a transfusion.

Be the lifesaving link to patients by giving blood today.
 
Who needs blood products?

  • Premature babies
  • Cancer patients
  • Patients with blood disorders
  • Trauma patients
  • Burn patients
  • Transplant patients
  • Heart surgery patients

How long does it take to donate?
Plan to spend about 1 hour with us.

What are the steps in the donation process?

Step 1 — Registration
When registering, you are asked to show a photo ID and fill out a questionnaire to provide consent to the process and determine donation eligibility.

Step 2 — Hydration
It is recommended to drink lots of fluids during the day. This is especially important for people near the minimum donor weight of 110 pounds. Proper Hydration is an important component of the healthy and enjoyable donation processs.

Step 3 — Medical History
A collections staff member goes over the completed questionnaire with you, then your vital signs are checked.

Step 4 — Whole Blood Donation
You will be asked to sit in a comfortable donor chair while giving blood. Once the needle is in place, the phlebotomy process usually takes less than 10 minutes to draw a unit of blood.

Step 5 — Post Donation, Donor Lounge
After donating you will be asked to spend 10-15 minutes in the donor lounge where we offer refreshments and snacks.

Am I eligible to donate blood?

  • You can donate if you are in good health and free of cold or flu symptoms (mild case of cold/flu does not make you ineligible).
  • You must weigh at least 110 pounds.
  • You must be 16 years of age.

How often can I donate blood?
You can donate whole blood once every 8 weeks.

I want to be a blood donor!
For more information call us at 707-545-1222, or send an email to wholeblood@bbr.org.