Please consider signing up to give blood. All safety protocols are followed; masks and distancing required. Your time and generosity will save lives.
How Different Types of Blood Donation Help Patients
Every blood donation you make has an amazing impact on the world–it can save lives.
But did you know there are different types of blood donation? The typical donation is one pint of whole blood, but special equipment allows us to collect parts of your blood separately. These parts are called blood components. This process is called apheresis. While apheresis donations take a little more of your time (from an extra 30 minutes to two hours depending on donation type), these special donations help hospitals to better meet the needs of patients.
Whole Blood Donation
During a whole blood donation, about one pint of your blood is collected. After we test it, the donation is separated into components, like red blood cells and plasma, to help patients in need.
Patients helped: Most often trauma and surgery patients
Recommended Blood Types: All types
Total time: 1 hour
Donation time: 15 minutes
How often you can donate: Every 56 days
Power Red or Double Red Cell Donation
A Power Red donation uses an automated process that removes twice the amount of red cells as a whole blood donation, then returns your platelets and plasma to you.
Patients helped: Pediatric patients, trauma or surgery patients, people with anemia
Recommended Blood Types: O-, O+, A-, B-
Total time: 1.5 to 2 hours
Donation time: 30 to 45 minutes
How often you can donate: Every 112 days up to 3 times a year
Platelet Donation (This is not offered at the MPC donation site. Please go to Vitalant.org for more information about how and where to donate).
Platelets help clot your blood and stop bleeding. During a platelet donation, an automated process removes your platelets and returns your red blood cells and plasma to you. Platelets must be used within five days, meaning platelet donors are needed frequently to ensure patients have enough for their treatments.
Patients helped: Cancer patients, people with blood disorders, open-heart surgeries and organ transplants
Recommended Blood Types: A+, B+, AB+ and AB-
Total time: 2.5 to 3 hours
Donation time: 2 hours
How often you can donate: Every 7 days up to 24 times a year
Plasma Donation
Plasma is the liquid portion of blood. A plasma donation also uses an automated process to remove the plasma from your blood and return the red cells and platelets to your body.
Patients helped: Patients in shock, those with severe burns or clotting disorders
Recommended Blood Types: AB+, AB-
Total time: 1.5 to 2 hours
Donation time: 30 to 45 minutes
How often you can donate: Every 28 days up to 13 times a year
Learn this and more at Vitalant.org.
To donate at MPC on March 13, click HERE to register.
