Who Can You Help by Donating Blood?
Every day, blood donors help patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. In fact, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Here are just a few of their stories.
Cancer Patients
Ideal Donation Type
Platelets donation, because certain cancers and cancer treatments prevent patients from producing their own.
Ideal Blood Type
A positive, A negative, B positive, O positive, AB positive and AB negative
Trauma Patients
Ideal Donation Type
Power Red, because red cells carry oxygen throughout the body and are frequently given to trauma and surgery patients.
AB Elite plasma donation, because AB plasma is needed to help stop bleeding. Call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an AB Elite appointment.
Ideal Blood Type
- For Power Red: O positive, O negative, B negative, A negative
- For AB Elite: AB positive, AB negative
Sickle Cell Patients
Ideal Donation Type
Whole blood or Power Red, especially from blood donors who are of African descent. Patients with sickle cell disease, who are predominantly Black, can require multiple blood transfusions every year. Donated blood must be very closely matched to the donor’s blood type to avoid transfusion-related complications. Since most patients with sickle cell disease are Black or African American, the most compatible blood type match is most often from a donor of the same race or ethnicity.
Ideal Blood Type
Burn Patients
Ideal Donation Type: AB Elite, because plasma helps maintain blood pressure and other vital functions.
Ideal Blood Type: AB positive, AB negative. Type AB, the universal plasma donor's blood can be given to any patient needing plasma. Make an even greater impact for patients in need by giving an AB Elite plasma donation.
Give Plasma: Call to make an AB Elite appointment
Patients with Chronic Diseases
Ideal Donation Type: A single whole blood donation can help more than one person.
Ideal Blood Type: All blood types are needed