Donation Process

Congratulations! With your decision to donate blood, you have joined the ranks of an elite class of people who dedicate their lives to saving their family, friends, and neighbors. Whether you've chosen to give blood at one of our mobile blood drives or at our 1019 Jones Street office, please be sure to bring along a photo I.D. and a list of any medications that you are currently taking.

1. Medical History
   The medical history is designed to ask questions that protect the health of both the donor and the recipient. A critical first step in the safety process is ensuring that blood only from healthy donors enters the blood supply. Only people who are not at risk for an infectious disease can give blood. Donors must answer a series of questions about their health, medications and risk diseases that can be passed through the blood supply.
2. Mini-Physical
   After completing the health questionnaire, donors take a mini-physical. This physical includes testing your temperature, blood pressure and pulse to assure that they are within normal limits. Also, a drop of blood is taken from your finger to test your iron levels.
3. Donation
   The actual blood donation takes about 10 minutes. While the donor relaxes in a reclining chair, their donating arm is cleansed and prepped for donation. Donors are encouraged to read or talk while donating blood. Relax, it’s easy and you’re saving up to three lives!
4. Refreshments
   After you donate, please relax and enjoy some juice and refreshments to supply your body with quick energy.
   Because the average adult has about 10-12 pints of blood in his/her body, the average donation is one pint of blood. The fluid lost from donation is replenished by the body within 24 hours and the red cells are replaced within a few weeks.

Thank you for choosing to save lives in your community! Once your donation has been tested in our laboratory, it will be sent to a hospital and used as soon as it is needed by a patient.