Questions About Giving Blood?

1. Who gives blood?
Volunteers donate all of this country's supply of blood for transfusion. Many people donate at a drive where they work.

2. Who can give blood?
Generally speaking, anyone who is at least 17 years old, weighs at least 110 pounds and is in good health is eligible. There is no upper age limit.

3. Why should I give my blood?
Because patients need it to stay alive. There is no artificial substitute. The blood center does its part by asking you to donate, collecting, processing and delivering your blood to the hospitals around the clock.

4. Can't families and friends provide for those who need blood?
More than 650 blood donors are needed every day to take care of patients in local hospitals. The only way this enormous need can be met is by turning to the entire community.

5. I gave once this year. Isn't that my share?
Blood is a living tissue, and it dies if separated from the body. Red blood red cells can be preserved up to 42 days. However, some parts of blood, such as the platelets that are necessary for clotting, survive only a few days. To avoid shortages, donors must be recruited constantly.

6. If anyone I know needs blood, I'll be the first to respond. Isn't that enough?
It takes many hours from collection of a unit of blood through testing, typing and delivering. When people need blood, they need it immediately.

7. If we donate as a group, will blood be available to our employees and families?
As long as the blood supply is adequate, it is available to all patients in need.

8. How often can I donate?
You can donate whole blood as many as six times a year at intervals of 56 days, if you are in good health. You can donate platelets by apheresis every two weeks (up to 24 times in 12 months).

9. If I donate, will I learn my blood type?
Yes. You will receive an American Red Cross donor card with your blood type about a month after your donation.

10. How much blood do you take?
About 450cc (a little less than a pint). You have 10 to 12 pints of blood, so donating a pint is safe as often as every eight weeks.

11. Will it hurt?
You might feel a momentary discomfort ... about as much as a sharp pinch on the inside of your elbow.

12. Will I feel faint or weak?
A person in good health should feel perfectly normal after donating. You should maintain your regular eating schedule on the day you donate blood. We'll give you a light refreshment and ask you to rest for a few minutes. Then you can go about your usual routine, as long as you avoid strenuous physical activity for the remainder of the day.

13. Can I gets AIDS by donating blood?
No! We always use what's called "aseptic" technique -- each needle is used only once, then discarded properly.

14. Can I get any other transmissible diseases by donating blood?
Again, the equipment is used only once and then properly discarded. Also, the area of insertion of the needle will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution.

15. How long will it take?
Allow about an hour, even though the procedure usually takes less time. The actual donation takes only about seven minutes. It takes time to resister, give your health history and get a mini physical. After you donate, you'll spend a few minutes having refreshments.

16. I had hepatitis, can I donate?
No.

17. I am diabetic, can I donate?
Yes, diabetics can donate even if they are taking insulin, as long as they are otherwise in good health and feel up to donating.

18. I am on medication, can I donate?
Perhaps, depending on the medication and why you are taking it. Most medications are acceptable. The Donor Services specialist in charge of the drive will be able to determine if the medication you are taking will prevent you from donating.

19. What is involved in donating blood?
The donor is asked for his/her name, address and other personal data (picture ID is required. He/she will be given educational material to read describing AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and explaining how people become at risk of having been infected by the AIDS virus. People at risk of transmitting viruses and disease are asked not to donate blood. Next, temperature, pulse, and blood pressure are recorded. A blood sample is taken from the finger to determine that the donor's hemoglobin (iron) level is high enough to allow for a donation. Then, a phlebotomist, a specialist in drawing blood, swabs the donor's arm inside the elbow and inserts a needle into a vein. The needle is attached to a sterile plastic pouch, into which about one pint of the donor's blood is drawn. This takes on the average about 7 minutes. The needle is removed and the spot bandaged. The donor is asked to rest for a few minutes and refreshments such as fruit juice or soda are served to supply quick energy. Donors are asked to avoid strenuous exercise for a while. Within 24 hours, the donor's body has replaced the fluid lost. It takes approximately 4 to 5 weeks to replace the red cells.

20. Why do you charge for "donated" blood?
We don't. The blood itself is free. The blood center passes on to the hospital the cost of collecting, typing, testing, storing and distributing blood. Hospitals charge additional fees for transfusion services, including matching donated blood to the patient's blood. Most health insurance plans cover these costs.

21. Are donors ever paid?
No. Federal regulations require that blood be labeled "Volunteer." Hospitals won't accept paid-for blood.

22 . Why can't every patient just have their friends and family donate?
Put yourself in the patient's place. You may not have the same blood type as your friends, co-workers or even family members. In addition, testing takes many hours, and blood might not be available when you need it. You'd be dependent on volunteer donors ... just as today's patients are depending on you.

23. Isn't one pint of blood too much for me to give?
No. The average adult has 10 to 12 pints, and the donated unit is quickly replaced.

24. Who gets the blood I donate?
Patients in our communities' hospitals benefit from your donation. They include: premature babies, cancer patients, hemophiliacs, accident victims, people undergoing various surgeries or transplants, and many others.

25. Which is the rarest blood type?
Statistically, the rarest is AB Rh negative. However, at the Red Cross, we think of the rarest type as being the one we don't have when we need it the most. More people have type O blood, and those are the donors we need most.

26. Isn't there a synthetic blood?
While scientists are currently working on it, there is no substitute for blood. Donors are still the only source for the "Gift of Life."

27. Is the blood I donate tested?
Yes, it is tested for various diseases that are transmittable by blood. .

The tests include:
Hepatitis B surface antigen	Detects presence of Hepatitis B virus capsule.
ALT	Screens individuals for liver inflammation.
Hepatitis C Antibody	Detects presence of antibodies against the hepatitis C virus.
Syphilis Test	Detects presence of antibodies against the bacteria that causes syphilis.
Anti HTLV I Test	Detects past exposure to a virus associated with a rare form of leukemia and neurological disorders.
HIV Tests	Detect the presence of antibodies against HIV (the agent that causes AIDS) and the capsule of the virus itself
A, B, O, AB Testing	To identify donors blood type.
Rh Factor Testing	To determine whether it is present (+) or not ( ).

28. If I am pregnant can I donate?
No. You'll be able to donate six weeks after the conclusion of pregnancy.

29. If I had cancer, can I donate?
Yes, you will be able to donate five years after receiving a clean bill of health from your doctor.

30. I had malaria when I was younger, can I donate?
Yes, if you have been symptom free for three years.

31. I took anti malaria drugs because I planned on going abroad, can I donate?
If you took the drug and did not go abroad, there is no waiting period. If you did go abroad to a malaria risk location, you must wait one year after leaving that high malaria risk location before you can donate.

32. Can I donate blood for my own use?
Yes. This can be done prior to a planned surgical procedure if your doctor prescribes it. For long term possible needs, the blood can be frozen but this process is not too practical in that where it is being stored may not be close to where you may be at when you need it. It also requires a certain amount of time for the blood to be thawed and prepared for transfusion. It is also costly to freeze and store the blood.

33. Can I donate for a specific person?
Yes. The process however has to be initiated by the patient or his/her representative.

34. What is component therapy?
It is the multiple use of the different parts of blood. This helps conserve a scarce resource and allows patients to receive only the blood components they need.

35. What is the shelf life of blood?
Red blood cells are considered transfusable for up to six weeks, and once frozen, they can be stored up to ten years. Fresh frozen plasma can be stored for one year. However, platelets are good only for a few days.