Blood Donation Types
What is Whole Blood?
A non-automated “whole blood” donation is the most common type of donation and results mainly in the collection of red blood cells. Red blood cells are the most frequently used blood component and are needed by almost every type of patient requiring transfusion. Red cells make up about 40 percent of your blood. Their most important job is carrying oxygen from the lungs to tissues and carrying carbon dioxide back to the lungs.
Trauma and Surgical patients
Blood Types Needed:
Any blood type
Frequency:
Every 8 weeks or 56 days, 6 times a year
Time Commitment:
One hour in total. Approximately 10 minutes for blood donation.
What are Platelets?
Who it Helps?
Cancer patients, Heart surgeries, organ and bone marrow transplants
Blood Types Needed:
A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-
Frequency:
7 days, up to 24 times per year.
Time Commitment:
Up to 2-3 hours with Solvita.
Platelets are blood cells that help control bleeding. Platelets are sticky cells that clump together to form clots that control bleeding by sticking to the lining of blood vessels. Platelets survive in the circulatory system for about 10 days and are removed by the spleen. Outside the body, platelets can be stored for only 5 days.
What is Plasma?
Plasma is the fluid component of the blood that carries other blood cells, nutrients, and clotting factors throughout our bodies. Plasma is frozen after collection and can be stored for up to one year.
Who it Helps?
Burn victims and patients with bleeding disorders
Blood Types Needed:
AB+, AB-
Frequency:
Every 28 days or 13 times a year
Time Commitment:
Up to 2 hours