•Who is eligible to
donate blood?
Eligible donors must be in general good
health, weigh at least 120 pounds, and be age 17 or older. Donors must
also have eaten regular meals prior to donation. See Can
I Donate
•How often can I donate
blood?
You may donate whole blood every 8 weeks.
•Why do I have to read
that information sheet each time I donate?
Donors must read the sheet prior to every
blood donation, no matter how many times they have donated! This
"pre-donation" information is required reading by each donor. We
are required by the FDA (the government body that regulates our facility)
to give each donor the information contained in the pre-donation sheet.
The sheet lists high risk activities and certain situations that might
exclude a donor. Because information changes regularly, we ask that donors
read the sheet before each donation.
•How does giving blood
affect me?
Very little! Your fluid volume is back to
normal within 24 hours after you donate. Your white cell count returns to
normal within 72 hours after you donate. An adult of average weight has
about 10 to 12 pints of blood so the one taken is hardly missed.
•Who needs blood?
More than 75% of all Americans reaching age
72 will need blood in their life-times. The most common uses for blood are
as follows:
|
Most
Common Uses For Blood
|
|
Coronary
artery bypass surgery |
1-5
pints |
|
Other
open heart surgery |
Up
to 40 pints |
|
Bleeding
ulcer |
3-20
pints |
|
Fractured
hip / joint replacement |
2-20
pints |
|
Brain
surgery |
4-20
pints |
|
Prostate
cancer |
4-6
pints |
|
Aneurysm |
6-10
pints |
|
Auto
accident - trauma |
Up
to 50 or more pints |
|
Organ
transplant |
Up
to 100 or more pints |
|
Bone
marrow transplant |
1-2
units of red cells daily for 8-10 weeks |
|
6-8
units of platelets daily for 4-6 weeks |
•How can I find out my
blood type?
You will receive a donor identification
card in the mail about a month after your donation. Your blood type is
listed on the front of the card. Present this card at any of our locations
or mobile blood drives when you donate for easier registration. If you
join our e-donor program and list your email
address on your donor form, you will receive an email in 3 or 4 days which
lists your blood type and cholesterol result.
•How long does blood
last?
Blood is a fragile substance. It is a
liquid living tissue and the different components keep for a certain time:
Red Blood Cells last 42 days; Platelets last 5 days; Plasma can be frozen
for one year.
•I have a really rare ABO/Rh
blood type, that must mean you need my blood more often that those with
the common types, right?
Actually, the opposite is true. Those with common blood
types are needed because it is those blood types that represent the most
common patient population. However there is always a great need for
Type O donors and donors that are Rh Negative. A breakdown of the
blood types by population is as follows:
| Blood
Group |
Rh
Factor |
Approx.
Pop.% |
| O |
Positive |
38.2% |
| A |
Positive |
34.8% |
| B |
Positive |
8.5% |
| AB |
Positive
|
3.4% |
| O |
Negative |
6.8% |
| A |
Negative |
6.2% |
| B |
Negative |
1.5% |
| AB |
Negative |
0.6% |
•Can I get AIDS from
donating blood?
No. All materials used in the procedure,
including bags and needles, are new, sterile and designed for one use
only. After each donation, the needle used for that particular donation is
incinerated.
•What happens to the
blood after I donate?
Each unit is taken to The Blood Center's
laboratory where it is separated into components and tested to ensure that
the donated unit is safe to transfuse. Generally, each unit is broken down
into blood components such as red blood cells, plasma, platelets and
cryoprecipitate. Because each component has a specific use, a single blood
donation can help up to four patients.
•What do you test for?
Blood samples, drawn in separate tubes at
the time of donation, are subjected to the following tests: ABO grouping;
Rh typing; syphilis; screening for irregular antibodies; tests for
hepatitis B surface antigen and antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen;
HCV antibody testing for hepatitis C; ALT (liver enzyme) test for Non-A,
Non-B hepatitis HTLV-1 and 2 antibody screening; HIV -1 and 2 antibody
screening; testing; and a visual screening for clotting
or other abnormalities. All results are kept confidential.
A total cholesterol test is also performed
as a service to our donors. These results will be mailed to you and
you can even get them with in a few days by letting us know your email
address.
•How can I donate?
Fill out an on-line
appointment form, call The Blood Center at 1-800-BLOODNJ, or check our
blood drive calendar for a blood drive near you!
|
