Donation options

Giving Whole Blood allows you to possibly help several patients with different needs with just one donation.

Giving Blood Components allows you to give a concentrated amount of selected components of the blood - platelets or plasma or red blood cells.

Join the National Marrow Donor Program and you may be called to help someone survive leukemia, aplastic anemia, or another blood disease. A richly diverse registry gives patients a better chance of survival. Everyone is encouraged to join registry to help meet the needs of patients in the United States and around the world.

To learn more about any of these options or to make an appointment, call a convenient BloodSource donor center. Locations

Whole Blood

Your single whole blood donation may possibly help more than one patient. Each pint of blood can be separated into its various components – red blood cells, plasma, and platelets – and given to patients with different needs.

Blood Components Donation

A blood components donation is the selective removal of one or more components of the blood - platelets or plasma or red blood cells. Your blood is collected and passed through a machine, the needed platelets, plasma or red blood cells are collected and the rest of the blood is returned to you. This allows a greater volume of components to be collected from a single donor and makes the transfusion process safer for the patient.

As in whole blood donations, sterile, single-use disposable needles and tubing are used for blood component donations. The donor's blood never comes in direct contact with the machine. The closed system ensures that donors are never exposed to any blood other than their own. Therefore, there is no risk of acquiring an infectious disease from donating by this method. Components donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent) and generally healthy. There are additional guidelines for blood component donors.

With new technologies, such as advanced cancer treatments and the increasing number of marrow and organ transplants in our area, the need for blood components donors is growing rapidly.

Marrow/Blood StemCell

Every year, thousands of adults and children need marrow transplants - a procedure which may be their only chance for survival. Although some patients have a genetically matched family member who can donate, about 70% do not. The patients' lives depend on finding an unrelated individual with a compatible tissue type - often within their own race - who is willing to donate marrow.

Since 1987, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has facilitated more than 15,000 unrelated marrow transplants. Through BloodSource, more than 55,000 volunteers have given blood samples to join NMDP's registry of potential donors. As of January, 2003, a total of 358 local individuals were matched with patients and have donated their marrow or blood stem cells.

What is bone marrow?

Bone marrow is the tissue found inside bones that produces red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. These vital blood cells fight infection, carry oxygen and help control bleeding. Any disease that attacks the marrow can eliminate the body's ability to protect itself.

What are blood stem cells?

Blood stem cells can develop into red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, replacing a transplant patient's diseased or damaged blood stem cells. The source of blood stem cells collected is from peripheral (circulating) blood.

Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection involves the donor receiving five or six injections of filgrastim, a stem cell growth factor, to increase the number of stem cells in the bloodstream. The donor's blood is then removed through a sterile needle in one arm, passed through a machine that separates out the stem cells and returned through the other arm. After a marrow or PBSC collection, the blood stem cells are immediately hand-carried by a courier to the patient's hospital.

What does our community need?

There is a critical need for more racially diverse volunteer donors. Patients and donors must have matching tissue types, and these matches are found most often between people of the same race group. A large, racially diverse group of prospective donors will give more patients a chance for survival.

As of January 1, 2003, less than 24% of registered donors are known to be other than caucasion.

Who is currently registered in the program?

4.8 million people are registered with the National Marrow Donor Program.

How can I join the registry?

From Northern California:
BloodSource: (800) 995-4420, extension 302.

From outside Northern California:
National Marrow Donor Program at
1-800-MARROW-2

There may be a fee for Caucasian individuals to cover the cost of the test to determine your tissue-type. Because funding is limited and the need to diversify the registry is so critical, the U.S. Government covers the cost for members of racial minorities. Once a donor is found to match a patient, all medical expenses are covered by the recipient or by the recipient’s insurance.

What happens if I am matched with a patient?

If you match the tissue type of a patient seeking a donor, additional testing will confirm the results. You will meet with Marrow Donor Counselors at BloodSource who will help you make your informed decision about donating marrow. Depending on the needs of the patient, you may be asked to give either Bone Marrow or Peripheral Blood Stem Cells (PBSC).

What should I expect if I give marrow?

The marrow collection process is performed at the hospital and usually does not require an overnight stay. The procedure itself is painless, because it is performed under anesthesia. But, for an average of two weeks following the procedure, most donors experience sore hips and some must restrict their activities. Most donors report that donating marrow is a very positive experience. Many are willing to donate again in the future.

What should I expect if I give blood stem cells?

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) collection is done at BloodSource, using the same machines that are used for platelets and plasma collection. You will receive several injections of a medication called Filgrastim before your donation. This medication causes the bone marrow to release stem cells into the bloodstream where they can be collected. This process usually is done over two days and does not require anesthesia. Donors sometimes report soreness in the large bones of their body during the medication injection period.

Blood Components Donation: Platelets

A platelet donation is the selective removal of the platelet component of the blood. Platelets are critically needed to help control bleeding, and are used to treat trauma victims, marrow transplant recipients and people with leukemia and cancer, whose platelets are destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation. Because platelets are good for only five days, a constant supply is vitally important.

By choosing to donate blood components - platelets, plasma or red blood cells - you can donate a greater volume of needed components, making the transfusion process safer for the patient.

Blood Components Donation: Plasma

A plasma donation is the selective removal of the plasma component of the blood. Plasma is critically needed by burn patients, accident victims, organ transplant recipients and people with blood disorders such as thrombocytopenia or TTP. Plasma can be frozen up to one year.

By choosing to donate blood components - platelets, plasma or red blood cells - you can donate a greater volume of needed components, making the transfusion process safer for the patient.

Blood Components Donation: Red Blood Cells

As a blood components donor, you can selectively donate red blood cells based on your individual body size, blood count, and available time. A minimum of 8 weeks is required between donations.

By choosing to donate blood components - platelets, plasma or red blood cells - you can donate a greater volume of needed components, making the transfusion process safer for the patient.