Hoag Blood Donor Services

Information about Donating Blood

Anyone in good health, age 17 or older, may donate blood. Donors must weigh 110 pounds or more. There are some medical conditions that can temporarily or even permanently keep you from giving blood. People who have been exposed to hepatitis or the AIDS virus are not eligible to donate, nor are those with a history of some cancers or heart disease. Our donor guidelines are set to protect the donor’s health and safety as well as the health of the recipient.

Frequently Asked Questions about Blood Donation

You should donate blood because it’s an easy, relatively painless thing to do. The safety of the nation’s blood supply is dependent on volunteer blood donors. 60% of the nation’s population will require a blood transfusion at some time in their lives. Despite this fact, only 2% of the eligible donors in Southern California participate in blood donation. You’ll feel good about doing something for someone else. It’s an opportunity to share your good health with others. Remember, if there were no volunteer blood donors there would be no blood supply!

How do I go about donating?

Simply call Hoag Blood Donor Services at 949/764-5621 to schedule your appointment. You will need to allow about an hour for the entire process.

Who may donate blood?

Anyone in good health, age 17 or older, may donate blood. Donors must weigh 110 ponds or more. There are some medical conditions that can temporarily or even permanently keep you from giving blood. People who have been exposed to hepatitis or the AIDS virus are not eligible to donate, nor are those with a history of cancer, or heart disease. Our donor guidelines are set to protect the donor’s health and safety as well as the health of the recipient.

Where do I go to donate?

Hoag Blood Donor Services is located on the 2nd floor of the Patty and George Hoag Cancer Center, on the lower campus of Hoag Hospital, just off Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach.

What will happen first?

You will be asked to provide some basic information such as your name, address age, Social Security number, and so on and answer a series of questions as to recent medications, areas of travel, and any recent surgeries. After a medical history is taken, a drop of your blood will analyzed for hemoglobin content, the protein in your blood that carries oxygen through your body. Your pulse, blood pressure, and temperature will also be checked.

How long does the donation take?

The entire process takes approximately one hour. The blood draw is done by a skilled, specially trained, medical staff-person and only takes 7 to 10 minutes. You will rest for 15 minutes after your donation while enjoying refreshments in our canteen area.

Is the procedure painful?

There is a little sting when the needle is inserted, but there is no pain during the donation.

How long will it take to replenish my blood?

Blood volume or plasma is replaced within 24 hours. Red cells need about 4 to 8 weeks for complete replacement.

What do I get in return for my blood donation?

Blood you donate here at Hoag begins being processed for use by our patients as soon as you donate. You’ll get the satisfaction of knowing you have directly helped another person and a free mini-medical examination including a blood pressure check. An identification card showing your blood group and Rh type will be mailed to you and you will become a member of our Gallon Club when you have given 8 blood donations.

How will I feel after the donation?

Most people feel great! Donors who know what to expect and have eaten regular meals before donating are usually fine. After donating, drink extra fluids for the next 24 hours and avoid strenuous exercise.

Are there some common reasons I might be temporarily deferred?

Yes. Some of the most common reasons are: not feeling well for any reason; cold, sore throat, respiratory infection or flu; dental work (including teeth cleaning) within the last 48 hours; tattoos, body piercing, or acupuncture in the past year. You must be off antibiotics for 48 hours and symptom-free for 24 hours. (You would not be deferred for taking an antibiotic for preventative reasons such as acne). You may not donate if you are pregnant or nursing a newborn.

What if I lived in the United Kingdom in recent years?

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), also known as Mad Cow Disease, is a neurological disorder that can be transmitted to humans through the ingestion of infected beef. Most of the infected cattle have been found in the United Kingdom. CJD has never been known to be transmitted through a blood transfusion, however, as a safeguard against this theoretical possibility, you will be asked to refrain from blood donation if you have spent a total of six months or more in the United Kingdom between 1980 and 1996.

Can I donate blood if I have been previously told that I was anemic?

Your hemoglobin level will be checked prior to each donation to ensure that it meets minimum requirements. If you have been slightly anemic in the past, a diet that includes iron rich foods can help to raise your hemoglobin above the minimum level required for blood donation. Contact the Hoag Blood Donor Services for a complete list of iron rich foods.

Can I donate during my menstrual period?

Yes, if you’re feeling well.

Can I donate if I have cancer?

Individuals with lymphoma, melanoma, or Hodgkin's disease may not donate. Those who have been diagnosed with other cancers must have been clear of the disease for at least five years prior to donating.

How soon after donating can I resume exercising?

Heavy muscular or strenuous activity such as lifting or pushing heavy objects should be avoided for 4 to 5 hours after giving blood, as this may cause bleeding from the needle site. Strenuous exercise should be postponed until the day after your donation.

How often can I give blood?

You can give blood every 56 days (8 weeks). Every time you donate, you will have to meet the same criteria as you did before, and pass the medical examination.

Can I get AIDS if I give blood?

NO. You cannot get AIDS or any other disease by giving blood. The materials, including the needle used for your donation, are new, sterile, disposable and used only once, for your blood donation and are then discarded.

How many blood types are there?

There are four major blood groups---O, A, B, and AB—each of which is divided into Rh positive or negative types. A patient’s blood and the donor blood being transfused should be compatible, both in regard to major ABO group and Rh type. Of each 100 individuals, on the average, 45% will be group O (39% Rh positive, 6% Rh negative) …40% will be group A (35% Rh positive, 5% Rh negative)…10% will be group B (8% Rh positive, 2% Rh negative)…5% will be group AB (4% Rh positive and 1% Rh negative).

What is a unit of blood?

A unit of blood is a little less than a pint (approximately 450 milliliters). The average adult has between 8 and 12 pints of blood and can easily spare one.

Blood is composed of cells suspended in liquid. The cells—red cells, white cells and platelets---account for 45% of the volume of blood. The remaining liquid portion is plasma, which is used for direct transfusion or as the starting material for preparation of derivatives such as albumin and clotting factors.

Blood can be broken down into its components, so that each unit can be used to treat several different patients.

Is there a substitute for blood?

Absolutely not. The human body is the only "manufacturer" of this precious fluid---literally, the "Liquid of Life."

A Patient’s Guide to Autologous Blood Donation

Your physician may recommend autologous blood donation if there is a possibility that you may need a blood transfusion during or after your surgical procedure. Autologous (pronounced aw-TOL-o-gous) blood donation is when you donate and store your own blood prior to your surgery. During surgery, should you require a transfusion, the blood that you donated will be given back to you.

What are the benefits of Autologous Blood Donation?

Although the blood supply today is very safe, autologous blood is the safest and most compatible blood for you.

What if I am unable to donate?

Rest assured that there will be ample blood available for your use from the community blood supply. This blood supply is considered very safe and comes from volunteer community blood donors.

Can I have friends or family members donate for me?

Yes, this is called "Directed Donation." Your physician will need to send an order for Directed Donation to Hoag Blood Donor Services after which time your friends and family members can call to schedule appointments to donate for you. Their blood will be available for your use provided that they donate well in advance of your surgery, are compatible with your blood type, and are determined to be eligible blood donors and pass all of the required safety checks.

Getting Started

The process begins when your physician’s office sends an order to Hoag Blood Donor Services. This must happen before you can schedule an appointment.

Setting Up Your Appointments

The staff at Hoag Blood Donor Services will assist you in setting up your donation schedule. Contact them at 949/764-5621 as soon as your physician’s office has initiated the order for autologous donation. Donations can begin as early as 40 days prior to your scheduled date of surgery.

Your physician will tell you how many units to donate. It is recommended that there be one week between each donation and no donations the week prior to your date of surgery.

Predonation Instructions

Each appointment will take approximately one hour.

No dental work including teeth cleaning may occur 72 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.

If you are on antibiotics, inform Blood Donor Services when making your appointment.

If you have a history of cardiac problems and/or are under the care of a cardiologist, you must bring a written clearance from a cardiologist with you to your first appointment.

Continue taking your prescribed medications and bring a list of them with you to your first appointment.

Eat normal sized meals and drink plenty of fluids prior to your blood donation.

** If your surgery date changes, contact Hoag Blood Donor Services at 949/764-5621.

Facts about Platelet Donations

You should donate platelets because of the help you are giving a person with a very special need. What an excellent way to share your good health with someone else!

What are platelets?

Platelets are disc-shaped cells manufactured in the bone marrow. They are essential for normal blood clotting. Platelets have a relatively short life span and can only be stored for five days. A healthy person constantly replenishes their supply of circulating platelets from the bone marrow where they are made.

What is plateletpheresis?

Pheresis (from the Greek word "aphairesis"—to take away) is a procedure that separates blood into its various components. When applied to blood donations, a specific part of the blood can be collected and the rest can be returned to the donor. Plateletpheresis is the removal of platelets by this method.

Who donates platelets at Hoag?

These people are blood donors that have been assessed by the Hoag Blood Donor Services nursing staff to be good candidates for plateletpheresis. The entire process takes two to two and a half hours and the donors must have veins which will be able to withstand more suction than a standard blood donation.

Are there risks to the donor?

No. Plateletpheresis is as safe and painless as a regular blood donation. The platelet donor is at no risk of contracting AIDS or any other infectious disease because of the donation. All components of the blood cell separator that come into contact with the donor’s blood are sterile. Needles, tubing and collection bags are used only once and disposed of after the donation.

The donor is not at risk of excessive bleeding. There is an over abundance of platelets in the blood of healthy individuals and the body begins replenishing its supply even as the donation is made.

What will I feel like while I'm donating?

It is the job of the plateletpheresis nurse to keep you comfortable while you recline enjoying TV or a video. You will be kept warm and cozy under some soft blankets. Some donors feel a slight tingling sensation around their lips and nose when they donate. This is a mild reaction to the blood anticoagulant used in the procedure and can be minimalized if you tell the nurse.

How does it work?

Plateletpheresis can be performed using a two arm procedure or a one arm procedure. The plateletphersis staff will discuss with you the differences in the procedures and assess which type would best suit you and your veins. In both cases, blood is constantly drawn, mixed with an anticoagulant, passed through a blood cell separator, a machine that extracts the platelets by centrifugal force. The other blood components—plasma, red cells and white cells—are returned to the donor during the process. The procedure takes about two hours to two and a half hours.

Why platelet therapy?

Platelet transfusions may be necessary to control or prevent excessive bleeding if a patient’s body stops producing platelets or produces them in significantly decreased numbers. This commonly occurs as results of leukemia, chemotherapy and radiation, open heart surgery, and trauma associated with a large amount of bleeding. It is only because of platelet therapy that clinicians are able to treat cancer with chemotherapy and radiation therapies much more aggressively than was possible in the past.

How often can I donate platelets?

Plateletpheresis donors may safely donate more frequently than whole blood donors, as often as every 72 hours up to 24 times a year.