Got blood? 🤔 No, really. Blood is a vital + often-overlooked resource, as every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Due to the current pandemic, the need for healthy blood donors is on the rise.

But DYK there’s more than just one way to donate blood? At The Blood Connection Raleigh’s donation center, you can give four types of donations: plasma, platelets, red blood cells + whole blood (vs. just being able to give whole blood at a mobile blood drive).

Each type of donation can help different people, based on their needs.The good news is that every time you donate blood, you help save up to 3 local lives.

These donations are especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic for hospital patients who still need life-saving products as they battle cancer, blood disorders + emergency surgeries.

TBC Raleigh serves 25+ hospitals in the area, including WakeMed + UNC REX. In January alone, WakeMed used:

97 platelet products
291 plasma products

TBC is also collecting convalescent plasma donations, which help COVID-19 patients recover. One plasma donation can help up to four people. Those who are interested should make an appointment 28 days after they are fully recovered from the virus.

Here are the four donation types you can give with TBC Raleigh and the lives they help save:

🩸 Plasma

What: Liquid portion of blood that transports water + nutrients to the body’s tissues

Who it helps: Burn victims + those with bleeding disorders

Shelf life: 1 year

When + where you can donate: Every 28 days, only at centers

🩸 Platelets

What: Small cell fragments in blood that help stop/prevent bleeding

Who it helps: Surgery, transplant + cancer patients

Shelf life: 5 days

When + where you can donate: Every 7 days, only at centers

🩸 Red blood cells

What: When only red cells are collected, not other blood components

Who it helps: Trauma, surgery, anemia, blood loss + blood disorder patients

Shelf life: 42 days

When + where you can donate: Every 112 days, in centers + select mobile drives

🩸 Whole blood

What: A pint of blood containing red + white cells, platelets and plasma (quickest + most common donation type)

Who it helps: Trauma + surgery patients

Shelf life: 21-35 days

When + where you can donate: Every 56 days, in centers + mobile drives

See hours, info + the online scheduling tool for TBC’s Raleigh center. Bonus: Here’s everything we just explained in under 2 minutes. Ⓟ