Why become a blood donor?

Your community needs you. Every two seconds, someone in the United States is in need of blood. Stanford Blood Center requires 200 units per day to provide life-saving treatment to local patients at Stanford Medical Center and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. With a single donation, you could save multiple lives.

For our community members—the current and future patients supported by SBC—your blood donation could mean:

  • a transfusion for someone with a life-threatening condition such as sickle-cell anemia;
  • emergency treatment for a major trauma case;
  • a second chance at life for a child in critical condition;
  • advanced surgical options for a high-risk patient;
  • stronger immunity for a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy;
  • a medical safety net in the event of an active shooter and other disaster; and
  • research with the ability to radically transform public health.

You could be part of the cure. SBC has always been at the forefront of global research and innovation. In addition to providing blood products for transfusion purposes, we also supply researchers with the products they need to discover the causes, prevention and treatment of blood diseases and blood-borne disorders.

Blood donation benefits you, too! Blood donations in the United States are voluntary, so we do not offer money for donations. However, each time you come in to donate, you earn points that you can redeem for items you’ll love in our Donor Loyalty Store. It’s our way of saying “thank you” for the incredible gift you give when you donate blood. Plus, you get that warm and fuzzy feeling of knowing that you may have saved lives in your community and beyond!

Why choose SBC?

Our donors are our family. Our donors truly become like family – they often tell us that they feel such a strong personal connection to our team and how it’s such a big part of why they keep coming in to donate.

You’ll have a great donation experience! Our team is dedicated to providing a safe, welcoming and comfortable experience for you. From the moment you enter one of our blood centers, our attentive and professional team members will greet you warmly, communicate the process clearly, and show appreciation throughout your time with us for your generous donation.

How Do I Donate?

To become a blood donor, you must:

  • Be 17 years of age (16 with parental consent), and
  • Weigh 110 pounds
  • Be free of cold and flu symptoms and in general good health

In order to keep the blood supply safe, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also requires blood centers to implement additional eligibility criteria. View more eligibility requirements (like tattoos and common travel deferrals) on our website.

We know it can be confusing trying to figure out if you are eligible, so please feel free to give us a call at 650-723-7831 with any questions you may have!

What Should I Donate?

There are four types of donation:

  • Whole Blood
  • Apheresis
  • Platelets
  • Plasma

On your first visit, you’ll start out by donating whole blood. From there, if you’re interested, you can ask one of our team members if you’re a good candidate for other types of donations.