Every day, people like you make a difference in Greater Cincinnati by sharing their good health. They do it by the simple act of giving blood. To ensure an adequate blood and blood component supply to support patient usage in the 31 area hospitals served by Hoxworth Blood Center, a minimum of 350 volunteer blood donors and 40 volunteer platelet donors are needed each day.
Blood is a biological product and cannot be stored indefinitely in its liquid state. To make sure there is always enough blood and blood components for patients, Hoxworth Blood Center needs members of the community to donate regularly. As long as healthy, volunteer donors keep replenishing the community supply, life-saving blood and blood components are available to those at the time of their greatest need.
The Safety of Donating Blood
Donating blood is safe and easy. Unfortunately, there are many myths circulating about blood donation that may prevent potential donors from making that first critical step. The most common myths about donating blood are discussed below.
Myth: I could catch a disease as a result of the donation process.
Fact: Hoxworth Blood Center uses sterile technique and supplies to collect blood from our donors. Staff is trained to ensure aseptic conditions are maintained throughout the blood collection process. The donor is protected by the use of disinfectant scrubs to prepare the arm and sterile, one-use needles on our blood collection sets. Nothing is re-used in this process. There is virtually no-risk of acquiring any disease from donating blood.
Myth: The qualifications for donating blood are very stringent.
Fact: To give blood for transfusion purposes, you must be in general good health, at least 17 years old (16 years old with written parental consent as allowed in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana), weigh at least 110 lbs. and not have donated blood within the last eight weeks. Individuals, who have chronic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure, may qualify based on the type of medications they take. For more information, visit our eligibility page.
Myth: My personal history will be shared with others who shouldn't know this information.
Fact: Hoxworth Blood Center personnel are trained and bound to comply with state and federal laws that govern the confidentiality of donor information. All computer systems used to store donor information have appropriate security in place to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
Myth: I will not replenish the blood, or volume of blood, that I donate.
Fact: Donors usually replace the lost volume of blood within 48 hours of donation. Donors will not lose red blood cells if they donate frequently as the body more than adequately replaces the red blood cells removed during donation by the end of eight weeks.
Myth: Donating blood will make me feel weak.
Donating blood should not make you feel weak. The process allows individuals time to rest and refresh the body with juice and light snacks before returning to your normal routine.
Myth: I don't have time to donate blood.
Fact: Whole blood donation takes about one hour of your time and that's counting the time you walk in the door. There are not many other activities that allow the average individual to improve the quality of a life, or literally save someone's life, in such a short amount of time.
Updated 02/17/10