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Facts about Blood and Blood Donation

In the United States, on any given day, an average of 38,000 units of red blood cells are needed

At Memorial Hospital, 750 units are transfused each month. 70% of this blood is collected on mobile drives

Fewer than 5 percent of healthy Americans eligible to donate blood actually donate each year

Whole blood can be donated once every eight weeks (56 days)

The average adult body contains 10-12 pints of blood 1 donation = 1 pint

Every 3 seconds, someone in the United States requires a blood transfusion

With an aging population and advances in medical treatments and procedures requiring blood transfusions, the demand for blood continues to increase. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUE FOR HUMAN BLOOD!

If you started donating blood at age 17, you could potentially donate more than 300 times and help over 900 patients by the time you turn 70

A cancer patient may use 8 units of blood per week during treatment

All blood cells are produced inside the bone marrow

The approximate distribution of blood types in the US population is as follows:

O-positive – 37 percent O-negative – 7 percent
A-positive – 36 percent A-negative – 6 percent
B-positive – 9 percent B-negative – 1 percent
AB-positive – 3 percent AB-negative – 1 percent

ALL BLOOD TYPES ARE NEEDED; the most common blood types are the most frequently transfused

Anyone can receive type O Negative red blood cells, and type AB Positive individuals can receive red blood cells of any ABO type.

Each unit of whole blood normally is separated into several components:

  • Red blood cells - refrigerated for a max of 42 days or frozen for up to 10 years, once thawed, must be used within 24 hours
  • Platelets - stored at room temperature, may be kept for 5 days. Cannot be frozen
  • Plasma -may be kept in a frozen state for up to one year
  • Granulocytes are sometimes used to fight infections. They must be transfused within 24 hours of donation

The time to donate blood is not immediately following a national emergency. Blood must be drawn, tested, and available BEFORE a crisis occurs. The process takes approximately 24 hours and the need for blood is often immediate. DON’T WAIT TO DONATE BLOOD… THE TIME TO GIVE IS NOW!!