NICK’S STORY: OPEN YOUR HEART TO DONATION

On October 4, 2014, Nick Farrell* was riding high celebrating a momentous occasion: his 15^th birthday. One week later, on October 11, he was grappling with a very different life-altering event: a critical surgery to fix the large hole in his heart. Though Nick and his mother Elaine were terrified at what could happen should their last resort procedure fail, thanks to the medical team at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and the generosity of local blood donors, Nick’s successful operation gave cause for celebration once again…

Blood Donation: How it Works

Before your appointment:

• Always be sure to drink plenty of water before donating blood!
• Eat an iron-rich meal. Eating enough iron is essential to ensuring that your hemoglobin level is right for donating. You can check out some tips on getting enough iron here.
• Bring your donor ID. If you have a donor ID, be sure to bring it with you to your appointment. First time donors or returning donors without a donor ID card should bring a valid state-issued photo identification.

Avoid alcohol and fatty foods for 24 hours, and aspirin (if donating platelets) for 48 hours before your donation.

The Donation Process

Congratulations, you made an appointment to donate blood and save lives! So what happens now? There are four basic steps to every blood donation:

1. Registration
2. Medical History
3. Donation
4. Rest & Refreshments

After your blood donation:

Please call our post-donation callback line at (650) 725-9968 immediately if you:

• feel that your blood should not be given to a patient;
• are not sure that your blood is safe
• develop a fever within 24 hours after donating;
• have any illness within two (2) weeks of your donation; or
• are diagnosed by a physician as having West Nile, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, or Ebola virus Infection.

Where does my blood go?

Learn about the life of blood through a new donor’s eye.

It’s my first time donating blood. I walk into Stanford Blood Center (SBC) and I don’t know what to expect. I am a bit nervous because I’m not a big fan of needles, but I know I’m doing this for a good cause. I am greeted by the front desk staff and registered as a new donor with SBC. After completing a brief questionnaire about my health, lifestyle, and recent travel, I sit down with a technician who goes over the blood donation process with me.