Volunteer blood donors are needed at Massachusetts General Hospital every day to provide blood for the thousands of patients who need it.
Why should you donate blood? The answer is simple: You could save someone's life. Blood cannot be manufactured. The only way we can obtain blood to support the needs of our patients is through a healthy human donor.
Several types of blood donations are possible:
Whole Blood Donations
Whole blood donations are used in many different ways and can help several patients at once. Whole blood is separated into red blood cells, platelets and plasma. These separate components can be given to patients suffering from leukemia, hemophilia, accident victims, patients undergoing chemotherapy or patients who have lost blood during surgery, for example.
You should allow 30-40 minutes for the entire visit when donating whole blood, though the actual blood donation will take about 8-10 minutes. After registering, a medical history will be taken, and you will spend a few minutes after the donation process to relax in our refreshment room before you resume your normal activities.
Whole blood can be donated every 56 days (8 weeks). Immediately after you donate, your body starts to replace the donated blood with new blood.
Advance registration is not required for whole blood donation – walk-in donors are welcome.
Platelet Donation
Platelets are parts of blood that help prevent bleeding by allowing clots to form and wounds to heal. Patients need platelets for many different procedures, including heart surgery, burn treatments, bone marrow transplants, organ transplant surgeries, cancer, aplastic anemia, sickle cell anemia and other serious illnesses.
The Blood Donor Center collects platelets through a process called apheresis (ay-fur-EE-sis). This process withdraws whole blood from a donor and separates blood into its component parts (red cells, plasma and platelets). The donor’s blood is then returned to the donor, without the platelets. Your body will begin to replace donated platelets within a few hours after your donation.
The entire process from the time you walk in the door to the time you leave is about 2 hours. During the process, donors watch TV, a DVD movie, surf the internet, play games and listen to music. Donors can also enjoy relaxing or reading a book.
Platelets can be donated every 7 days, but no more than 24 donations can be made in a year.
Platelet donors have additional eligibility guidelines.
If possible, platelet donors should make an appointment prior to coming in to donate platelets. Typically early morning and evening appointments fill up 3-4 days in advance. To make an appointment or for more information on platelet donations, call 617-726-8177 or e-mail mhorr@partners.org.
Double Blood Red Cell Donations
Red blood cells are absolutely essential in emergency situations, especially types O and B, and can mean the difference between life and death for trauma victims and those undergoing surgery. Red blood cells are also used to treat people with certain types of cancer and sickle cell anemia. Because red blood cells are so essential, they are the most needed blood component.
During a Double Red Blood Cell (DRBC) donation, we take just your red blood cells, returning your platelets and plasma. Mass General’s Blood Donor Center uses the state-of-the-art ALYX Collection system, which allows you to donate two transfusable doses of red blood cells in one donation visit.
Donating DBRCs takes only 15 minutes more than a whole blood donation. You should expect the entire process from check-in to refreshments to take just about one hour.
After donating red blood cells, you cannot donate any additional blood components for 16 weeks.
Red blood cell donors have additional eligibility guidelines.
Honorary Blood Donor Program
When someone you know is in the hospital, you often find yourself looking for a way to help. An honorary donation allows you to donate blood in the name of a specific patient at Mass General while contributing to the general blood supply. This is an especially nice way to help replenish the blood supply if a patient you know requires blood components as part of their treatment.
