What Can I Do To Help?

What else can I do to help? Host a Blood Drive If you cant come to the donor center, you might host a blood drive at your business, school or community organization. We will provide materials to help you publicize your drive, equipment, and refreshments; all you need is donors! We make hosting easy by providing you with a single contact at our donor center to guide you through the process. Contact the BWH Donor Center to learn more. Donate Platelets The Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, located at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, collects platelets. To learn more about the need for platelet donors and how you can help, call (617) 632-3206 or email dfcidc@dfci.harvard.edu. The Brigham and Womens Hospital Blood Donor Center Our patients depend on healthy donors for lifesaving blood products, and the Blood Donor Center is proud to give people the opportunity to help those in need. We are located on the second floor Pike of BWH at 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115. Successful donors will receive validated parking for their time spent at the donor center. Call (617) 732-6620, email blooddonor@partners.org, or visit www.brighamandwomens.org/ blooddonation to learn more. Joint Program in Transfusion Medicine The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) Kraft Family Blood Donor Center and the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) Blood Donor Center are members of the Joint Program in Transfusion Medicine (JPTM). Together these centers provide essential blood products to patients cared for in both institutions. The Kraft Center collects platelets; the BWH Donor Center collects whole blood and red cells. Our programs research and quality standards ensure the safety of the more than 60,000 transfusions performed annually at our patient care facilities.

Donate Blood

BLOOD DONOR CENTER

It is something so simple that can help so many people.

blood donor

Donor center staff guide you through the process.

Joint Program in Transfusion Medicine

JPTM_002_2006

Why are blood donors needed? One in three people will require a blood transfusion during their lifetime. Patients treated for cancer, newborns in the intensive care unit, and trauma victims are just a few examples of patients who rely on blood donations from healthy volunteers. Volunteer donors are the only source of blood for patients who need blood transfusions. What happens during a blood donation? Plan to spend about an hour at the donor center. When you arrive, you will complete a confidential screening about your medical and travel history. The actual collection will take about 15 minutes. Safety is our priority; all materials used are new for each donor and then discarded. After the donation, you will be asked to remain in the donor center for a brief period of rest, during which time we invite you to relax and enjoy some refreshments.

Can I donate? You are eligible to donate whole blood every 56 days if you: are at least 17 years old weigh at least 110 pounds are in good health are free of antibiotics and dental cleaning for 48 hours beforehand You will be unable to donate if you: have had a tattoo or piercing within the last 12 months are pregnant, or are trying to become pregnant have traveled to a malarial risk country Please feel free to contact the donor center with any questions you have about your eligibility. How should I prepare to donate? On the day of your donation, please bring the following with you: valid photo ID list of any medications you are currently taking list of areas traveled to outside of the United States Please make sure to have something to eat and to drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids prior to your donation. Donor center nurses and technicians oversee your donation, ensuring you are comfortable throughout the process.

I am giving a piece of myself

to help someone else. Thats as good as it gets.

Barry Kingston, blood donor

I started to give again when a dear friend of mine who was a patient here at BWH required blood transfusions. Ive continued to come here because of the graciousness and courtesy of the personnel from the receptionist to nurses.
Freyda Sandars, blood donor