Platelets can be donated every three days, and the process takes between one and a half and two hours. Donors must be in good health and meet age and weight requirements. Platelets help blood clot and are often given to cancer and organ transplant patients. Donors are not paid.
Platelets are donated in much the same way blood is donated. The process of donating blood components—platelets, plasma, and red and white blood cells—is known as apheresis, which is Greek for “to take away.” This process, unlike donating blood, can be done every three days or 24 times a year. Platelets are important because they help blood clot and are often given to cancer patients and organ transplant patients.
Donating platelets takes longer than donating blood, because blood is drawn from the arm, circulated through a platelet-separating machine, and then returned to the body through the same or opposite arm. The whole process usually takes between one and a half and two hours. Before your first donation, you will receive an assessment of your physical health through a discussion of your medical history and a brief physical exam. Donors must be in overall good health and meet minimum age and weight requirements, which vary in different countries, but are generally around age 17 and 110 pounds in the United States.
The list of requirements for ascertaining ‘good health’ varies and your donor center will provide you with a comprehensive checklist along with your physique. You may be asked to add extra calcium to your diet before donating and to avoid taking aspirin or other blood thinners within a specific time frame before donating. Once your donation is finished, you will be given refreshments such as cookies, crackers or juice, and if you feel well, you will be sent on your way.
Some people who regularly donate platelets are matched with a specific patient and may receive phone calls requesting donations at certain times. Most commonly, platelets are donated in a more general sense, not with a particular patient in mind. In almost all cases, you will not be paid for the donation, as is often the case when donating plasma.
To find a place to donate, you can search online, contact a hospital, or visit a local blood donation clinic. Any place that accepts platelet donations will be thrilled to have another donor, and it’s a very safe process. Donating blood, plasma or platelets is a selfless act of generosity that can help save another person’s life, so if you’re eligible to donate, it helps to do so as often as possible.
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