Did you know…?

About every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.

That means, this many people have needed blood since you arrived here:

Today’s Blood Need

Click a blood type or product below to learn more. Those in red indicate an increased need today.

If you’ve received the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine for COVID-19, you are still eligible to donate blood! Additionally, please note that SBC requires ALL donors to be masked throughout the donation process, including while waiting outside of a mobile/bus blood drive. Learn more at stanfordbloodcenter.org/donation-faqs.

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.

Learn More About Eligibility

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:

Registration
Medical History
Donation
Rest & Refreshments

Learn More

After your blood donation:

Always be sure to drink plenty of water to rehydrate.
Sit down or lie down if you feel lightheaded or dizzy. Call our post-donation callback line at (650) 725-9968 if you feel unwell.
Rest and replenish iron. We recommend you take an iron supplement and/or eat foods rich in iron combined with a source of vitamin C after your donation.

Avoid alcoholic beverages and vigorous exercise for at least 24 hours after donating, and be sure to keep that bandage on for a few hours!

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 weeks of your donation; or
are diagnosed by a physician as having West Nile, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, or Ebola virus Infection.

HEMOBLOGIN: THE SBC BLOG

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The Many Uses of Plasma

While plasma had been transfused as part of whole blood for hundreds of years, the specific value of plasma became acutely clear as a result of the devastating violence of WWII. Though plasma could not replace lost red cells and platelets, plasma and its related products were far easier to transport than whole blood (which…

Celebrating Gary Cooper’s 400th Donation

Our milestone donors are the heartbeat of SBC. From time-to-time, we like to give a special shout-out to those who have gone above and beyond to help support patients in need. Gary Cooper recently made his 400th milestone donation at our South Bay center. Our Public Relations Officer, Ross Coyle, interviewed the San Jose resident about…