Each year, thousands of Iowa residents give selflessly of themselves by making a blood donation. Through this simple act, donors create the vital link between life-giving blood and the hospital patient who needs it. Every two seconds, someone, somewhere needs blood and the rarest type is the one not on the shelf when a patient needs it. At The Blood Center of Iowa, they strive to help these people every day; therefore they need donors every day. They need neighbors helping neighbors and people who want to make an impact on a local level.

Just one pint of donated blood can help up to three different people. Therefore, The Blood Center relies on charitable community members to help provide blood to people in need. Giving blood is a safe, simple procedure.

The Unit Facts:

• Cancer Patients: can use up to 8 units of blood a month
• Bone Marrow Transplant: can use up to 2 units a day
• Cardiovascular Surgery: can use between 2-25 units
• Liver Transplant: can use up to 100 units
• Auto/Trauma Accident Patients: can use up to 50 units

Your blood donation is vital to helping maintain the blood supply in our community. Scheduled appointments help The Blood Center of Iowa ensure the right amount of blood is being collected each day to serve patients in our community. Schedule your appointment today at a donor center or mobile blood drive that’s convenient for you.

Schedule Now!

• Only 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood but less than 10 percent donate annually.
• There is no substitute for human blood.
• You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating blood.
• Healthy adults who are 16 years old and weigh at least 120 pounds may donate one pint of whole blood – the most common form of donation – every 56 days.
• One unit of whole blood is roughly the equivalent of one pint.
• About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood
• Females receive 53 percent of blood transfusions; males receive 47 percent.
• One unit of blood can be separated into several components: red blood cells, plasma, platelets.
• Fourteen lab tests (11 for infectious diseases) are performed on each unit of donated blood.

More than 2,000 units of blood are needed each week to maintain an adequate blood supply in our community and to meet rising transfusion demands across the country. In fact, nine out of ten people who live to age 70 will use blood during their lifetime. New, first time donors, as well as established donors, are needed to expand and sustain the donor base.

There are several different types of donation procedures that allow you to safely donate life-saving blood products that patients depend on. Regardless of which donation procedure you choose, the donation process follows these simple steps each time you give blood. The entire donation process takes between 45 minutes to an hour.

Learn about the Simple 4-Step Donation Process

You may be eligible to donate if you:

• Are in general good health
• Are 16 years of age or older (donors age 16 and 17 must have a signed parental consent form)
• Weigh at least 120 pounds
• Have not made a Whole Blood donation in the past eight weeks (56 days)
• Have not made a Double Red Cell donation in the past sixteen weeks (112 days)
• Have normal blood pressure, pulse, temperature and hemoglobin screenings
• Are not pregnant
• Do not have a cold
• Are not under a doctor’s care for any serious illness or injury

Q: How long should you wait to donate blood after dental work?

A: You can donate one day after any of the following if your treatment has been completed and you are asymptomatic: cleaning, fillings, crown preparation, temporary / permanent crown placement, extraction, and root canal.

Q: Can you donate blood if you are taking antibiotics?

A: If you are not taking an antibiotic on the day of donation, you are fine to donate. If recently on antibiotic treatment for an infection, you do need to complete taking all medication as directed by your doctor prior to the day of donation. Antibiotics taken to prevent infections are generally acceptable. An example of this would be antibiotic treatment for acne.

Q: How long do you need to wait to donate blood after you get a tattoo?

A: There is no deferral period after getting a tattoo if a facility licensed by the state of Iowa or Wisconsin performed the procedure. If you received the tattoo elsewhere, you must wait one year before donating blood.

The Blood Center of Iowa is proud to consider everyone who donates blood a member of the Give For Life program. As a member of the Give For Life program, you have made a generous commitment to saving lives. To thank you for taking time out to help others, The Blood Center of Iowa wants to make sure your donation experiences are easy, convenient and enjoyable each and every time you donate. As member of the Give For Life program, you can access your donation history, redeem your gallon certificate, view your donor profile, provide feedback to The Blood Center of Iowa and schedule appointments online.

Learn more about the Give for Life Program.

The Blood Center of Iowa is an independent, nonprofit, federally licensed organization providing blood and blood products to 46 hospitals in 44 counties across Iowa. For more than 45 years, The Blood Center has relied on charitable community members to volunteer their time and blood in order to maintain an adequate blood supply for our cities, families, neighbors – maybe even you.

Visit www.bloodcenterofiowa.org to learn more about this great organization and donating blood!

Source: www.bloodcenterofiowa.org