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THE POWER OF PLATELETS
What are platelets and what do they do?
Platelets are tiny cells made in bone marrow that help blood clot and stop bleeding. Donated platelets can mean the difference between life and death. For example, chemotherapy can strip away a cancer patient’s platelets and their ability to replenish them, leaving donated platelets as their only protection against dangerous bleeding.
Why are platelet donations important?
Platelets have a shelf life of just five days, so unlike other blood components, they can’t be stockpiled — they must be continually replenished. The need for platelet donors never stops. A large donor base is key to keeping this lifesaving resource within reach for local patients.
How do I know if I am eligible to donate platelets?
Make an appointment to donate whole blood. When you arrive at your appointment ask the staff to check to see if you can donate platelets.
What is the process of donating platelets?
The number of platelets units collected can vary. The mobile drive medical technicians will recommend the number of units based on your weight, hemoglobin level and platelet count that day.
How long does donating platelets take?
Times for donating platelets can vary but may take up to 2.5 hours.
How often can I donate platelets?
You can donate platelets every 7 days. However, there is a limit to only 24 platelet donations each year.
How do I know if I am eligible to donate platelets?
Make an appointment to donate whole blood. When you arrive at your appointment ask the staff to check to see if you can donate platelets.
Platelets must be donated at a mobile drive to qualify for the quarterly drawing. A winner will be picked and notified at the end of each quarter.
SBC Makes History and Enhances Platelet Safety by Going 100% PRT
By Harry Sussmann, Operational Excellence (OpEx) Director On April 28, Stanford Blood Center became the first blood center of its size in the nation to use pathogen reduction technology, or PRT, on 100% of its transfusable platelets produced. With this milestone, SBC is ensuring that the platelet units our donors generously provide are as safe…
Platelet Donation 301 — Platelets and HLA Typing
Most of you probably know that when you donate blood products, they test for your blood type (A-positive, O-negative, etc.). But you might not know that when you donate platelets, they test for an additional type — your HLA type. HLA stands for Human Leukocyte Antigen. These antigens are found on most organs and tissues…
Diaries of a Platelet Donor
Platelet Donation 201 — Platelet Donation, Pregnancy and TRALI
Welcome back! As discussed in last week’s blog, Platelet Donation 101, those who have been previously pregnant will need to be tested for HLA antibodies (a simple tube draw that can be performed during a regular whole blood donation) and test negative in order to donate platelets and plasma to reduce risk of TRALI. But…
Platelet Donation 101
As some of you may already know (and some of you may not!), you can actually donate more than one type of blood product. When you think about blood donation, most people probably first think of whole blood (when a person gives one pint of their blood). But another equally important type of donation is…
Should You Be Donating Platelets?
When most people think about making an appointment at Stanford Blood Center (SBC), they think of coming in to donate whole blood, the most common type of donation. Less common, but needed just as much, is platelet donation through apheresis blood collection (ABC). What are platelets? Platelets are blood cells that help stop bleeding. And…