Nursing Programs in Los Angeles

Although an estimated 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time, less than 10% of that eligible population actually do each year.

Do your part in giving back to your community: Donate blood.

1. Who Needs Blood? 

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, which means that nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S.

• It is estimated that 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 frequent blood transfusions throughout their lives.

• More than 1.68 million people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2016. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.

• A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.

2. How to Donate

Eighty percent of the blood donations given to the Red Cross are collected at mobile blood drives set up at community organizations, companies, high schools, colleges, places of worship or military installations. The remaining 20 percent are collected at Red Cross donation centers.

The actual blood donation typically takes less than 10-12 minutes. The entire process, from the time you arrive to the time you leave, takes about an hour and 15 minutes.

• The average adult has about 10 pints of blood in his body. Roughly 1 pint is given during a donation.

• A healthy donor may donate red blood cells every 56 days, or double red cells every 112 days.

• A healthy donor may donate platelets as few as 7 days apart, but a maximum of 24 times a year.

3. What You Can Do  

Although an estimated 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time, less than 10% of that eligible population actually do each year.

Can't donate blood? A financial donation can also help save lives. 
You can choose to donate towards: 

• Disaster Relief: Help people affected by disasters both big and small. 
• Where It Is Needed Most: Support all of the urgent humanitarian needs of the American Red Cross.
• Your Local Red Cross: Provide for local Red Cross programs and services in your community. 
• West Virigina Floods: Help people affected by the West Virginia Floods.  

We're having a blood drive at Angeles Institute on Friday, August 5th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM!

Swing on by at our address: 17100 Pioneer Blvd. Suite #170 Artesia, CA 90701!  

Sources 

American Red Cross: Blood Facts & Statistics

American Red Cross: What Happens to Donated Blood

American Red Cross: Types of Blood Transfusions