Types of Donation
When you give blood, different procedures may be chosen to most benefit patients. Match your blood type, then learn what is involved with the donation procedure recommended for you.
Whole Blood
Helps: anyone in need of life-saving blood due to injury or illness
Donation time: approximately one hour
Donate as often as every 56 days
Double Red Blood Cells
Helps: patients suffering blood loss due to trauma, surgery & anemia
Additional physical requirements:
Males: > 5’1” tall & >130 lbs.
Females: > 5’5” tall & >150 lbs.
Donation time: approximately one-&-a-half hours
Donate as often as every 112 days
Special considerations: Every double red blood cell donor provides double the life-saving blood to those in need! It’s the way to help most with one blood donation.
Platelets
Helps: surgery & cancer patients as well as others with blood clotting disorders
Additional physical requirements: no intake of products containing aspirin 48 hours prior to donation
Donation time: approximately two hours
Donate as often as every 7 days or a maximum of 24 times in a 12-month period
Special considerations: Only platelets are removed, allowing up to 12 times more to be collected than in one whole blood donation; platelets are fragile & can only be given to patients within five days of donation, so platelet donors are constantly needed; donor’s body rapidly replaces platelets.
Plasma
Helps: burn, organ transplant & clotting disorder patients
Donation time: typically one-&-a-half hours
Donate as often as every 28 days
Special considerations: Plasma acts as a carrier for red blood cells & nutrients to help restore health; donor fluid loss is less than through whole blood donation.
Red Cells & Plasma
Helps: red blood cells benefit trauma, surgery & other patients with chronic blood disorders; plasma often helps blood to clot due to internal bleeding or burns
Donation time: usually one-&-a-half hours
Donate as often as every 56 days for this combined donation