Blood Donation
- One pint of blood can help save the lives of up to three patients. Whole blood can be broken down into blood components such as red cells, platelets and plasma, each of which can help improve or save the life of a patient.
- To donate blood, you must be at least 16 years of age, weigh 110 pounds and be in good general health. Sixteen year old donors must have written parental consent.
- You can donate whole blood every 56 days.
- You can donate double red cells every 112 days.
- You can give platelets every seven days up to 24 times a year.
- Donating blood is safe. There is no chance of contracting AIDS or any other infectious disease from donating blood.
- Donating blood is a good health check! Before donating, KBC staff will perform a mini-physical that includes checks for pulse, temperature and blood pressure. KBC will also check to see if your iron level is high enough to safely donate.
- Kentucky's population is about 4 million and 90 percent of Kentuckians will need blood or blood products at some point in their lives.
- About 14 million units of whole blood are donated in the U.S. each year.
- The actual blood donation usually takes about 10 minutes.
- The average blood donor gives about twice a year.
- More than 40,000 pints of donated blood are used each day in the U.S. and Canda.
Blood
- Blood cannot be created in a laboratory, it must come from humans.
- A red blood cell is seven to eight microns in size. A micron is one-millionth of a meter.
- Blood components include red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate.
- The average life span of a single red blood cell circulating in the human body is roughly 120 days.
- Blood travels through about 60,000 miles of vessels.
- Fifty-five percent of your blood is composed of the liquid known as plasma.
- Most donated red blood cells can be stored for 42 days.
- Most donated platelets can be stored for five days.
- The average whole blood and red blood cell transfusion is 2.7 pints.
- The human body contains 10-12 pints of blood. One unit of whole blood is roughly the equivalent of one pint.
- Blood makes up about seven percent of your body's weight.
- About one in seven people entering a hospital need blood.
- Each year 4.5 million Americans require a blood transfusion.
