Why Give Blood?
You don’t need a special reason to give blood. You just need your own reason.
- Some of us give blood because we were asked by a friend
- Some know that a family member or a friend might need blood some day
- Some believe it is the right thing to do
What to expect at your donation?
Registration — You will sign in, show an ID, and be asked to read some required information.
Health History and Mini-Physical — Answer some questions online or in a private interview, and receive a general health check.
The Donation — You’ll be seated comfortably while a pint of blood is drawn. The actual donation only takes 8-10 minutes.
Refreshment and Recovery — After donating, you can enjoy a snack and a drink for 10-15 minutes before resuming your day. The entire donation process takes about an hour.
Testing — Your blood is tested and sent to a patient in need.
Guidelines for Blood Donation
- Be in good general health and feeling well
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have not donated blood in the last 56 days
Learn about each Step of the Blood Donation Journey
– You arrive for your blood donation appointment.
– Health history and mini-physical are completed.
– For a whole blood donation, about 1 pint of blood is collected; several small test tubes of blood are also collected for testing.
– Your donation, test tubes, and your donor record are labeled with an identical bar code label.
– Your donation is kept on ice before being taken to a Blood Bank for processing; the test tubes go to the lab.
– At the Blood Bank, information about your donation is scanned into a computer database.
– Most whole blood donations are spun in centrifuges to separate it into transfusable components: red cells, platelets, and plasma.
– Plasma may be processed into components such as cryoprecipitate, which helps control the risk of bleeding by helping blood to clot.
– Red cells and platelets are leuko-reduced, which means your white cells are removed in order to reduce the possibility of the recipient having a reaction to the transfusion.
– Each component is packaged as a “unit,” a standardized amount that doctors will use when transfusing a patient.
– In parallel with Step 2, your test tubes arrive at a testing laboratory.
– A dozen tests are performed, to establish the blood type and test for infectious diseases.
– Test results are transferred electronically to the Blood Bank within 24 hours.
– When test results are received, units suitable for transfusion are labeled and stored.
– Red cells are stored in refrigerators at 6ºC for up to 42 days.
– Platelets are stored at room temperature in agitators for up to five days.
– Plasma and cryo are frozen and stored in freezers for up to one year.
– Blood is available to be shipped to hospitals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
– Hospitals typically keep some blood units on their shelves, but may call for more at any time, such as in case of large scale emergencies.
– An ill or injured patient arrives at a hospital or treatment center.
– Physicians determine whether the patient requires a transfusion and, if so, which type.
– Blood transfusions are given to patients in a wide range of circumstances, including serious injuries (such as in a car crash) surgeries, child birth, anemia, blood disorders, cancer treatments, and many others.
– A patient suffering from an iron deficiency or anemia may receive red blood cells to increase their hemoglobin and iron levels, improving the amount of oxygen in the body.
– Patients who are unable to make enough platelets, due to illness or chemotherapy, may receive platelet transfusions to stay healthy.
– Plasma transfusions are used for patients with liver failure, severe infections, and serious burns.
– Blood Transfusions are regularly required by Thalassemia Patients and your blood gives them HOPE for a longer life. Pune Red Cross has its own Thalassemia Center.