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The Red Cross is in Need of Blood Donations, How You Can Help!

The Red Cross is in dire need of blood and we wanted to give you all the resources to help.

To ensure the safety of both patients and donors, these are some of the requirements donors must meet to be eligible to donate blood based on their donation type. 

Requirements by donation type:

Whole Blood Donation

  • Donation frequency: Every 56 days, up to 6 times a year*
  • You must be in good health and feeling well**
  • You must be at least 16 years old in most states
  • You must weigh at least 110 lbs

Power Red Donation

  • Donation frequency: Every 112 days, up to 3 times/year*
  • You must be in good health and feeling well**
  • Male donorsmust be at least 17 years old in most states, at least 5'1" tall and weigh at least 130 lbs
  • Female donors+ must be at least 19 years old, at least 5'5" tall and weigh at least 150 lbs

Platelet Donation

  • Donation frequency: Every 7 days, up to 24 times/year*
  • You must be in good health and feeling well**
  • You must be at least 17 years old in most states 
  • You must weigh at least 110 lbs

AB Elite Plasma Donation

  • Donation frequency: Every 28 days, up to 13 times/year*
  • You must have type AB blood
  • You must be in good health and feeling well**
  • You must be at least 17 years old
  • You must weigh at least 110 lbs

Facts About Blood Needs from the Red Cross

  • Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and or platelets. 
  • Approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U. S. 
  • Nearly 5,000 units of platelets and 6.500 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S. 
  • Nearly 16 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.
  • Sickle cell disease affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the U.S. About 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year. Sickle cell patients can require blood transfusions throughout their lives.
  • The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 units.
  • A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood.
  • Blood and platelets cannot be manufactured; they can only come from volunteer donors.
  • The blood type most often requested by hospitals is type O.
  • One donation can help save more than one life.
  • According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.8 million people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2020. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment

Click here to find local blood draws happening near you!

Blood donation concept. Give blood save up to three lives.

Photo: Getty Images


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