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		Search Text: Home/Education and Awareness/< Back ToBlood Diseases and Disorders Education Program/Donate Blood. Save Lives.
  A woman using stress ball while donating blood in a hospital bank.
      Donate Blood. Save Lives.
        
            Every donation is critical and you can make a lifesaving difference. Patients with trauma, undergoing surgery, or  with conditions that require blood transfusions, such as sickle cell disease, need  blood and blood products. You can help.
      
                          Last updated March 14, 2024
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      Fact Sheets
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      Social Media Resources
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      Blood Donation Videos
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      Blood Donation Insights
  The U.S. is currently experiencing a severe shortage of blood. Consider being a blood donor!Blood donation is a safe and simple procedure. All donated blood products are carefully tested and then stored or shipped so they are ready for patients who need a blood transfusion.**Not sure if you're eligible or have never donated blood before?****Learn about eligibility requirements here****.** Revised guidance and changes including, the elimination of questions based on gender and sexual orientation, are making it possible for more people to donate than ever.**Your donation can help save lives.****Find a blood donation center near you.******
  **Did you know?**About every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.A single blood donation can save up to 3 lives.Only 3% of age-eligible individuals in the U.S. give blood each year.Most blood types fall into one of the four major groups: A, B, AB, O. However, some people have rare blood types that fall outside the major groups, and for these patients, we need a more diverse blood supply.Black or African American blood donors are particularly important to patients with rare blood types who often need blood donated by someone with a similar race or ethnicity.
**Share with others the importance of blood donation & safety!**
African American young man smiling while donating blood**Social Media Resources:**Share these resources on social media and tag us @BloodHealthEd on X!**Motivators & Barriers for Blood Donation in the Black or African American Community:** Understanding knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about blood donation is critical to increasing and diversifying the blood supply. This focus group report explores motivators & barriers to blood donation among Black or African American adult donors and non-donors ages 18 to 50.**Fact Sheets:** Download or order print copies of these fact sheets.**Video:** Watch & share these blood health video.**Drop-in Articles:**  Copy and paste these prewritten drop-in articles into your newsletters, bulletins, blogs, or website. Or send them to your local media and ask them to do a story for National Blood Donor Month in January or throughout the year. Add your organization’s logos, images, or graphics to personalize it. (Please note: These articles are provided for educational purposes and should not be distributed as press releases or contain the NHLBI or *Blood Diseases & Disorders Education Progra*m logos without permission.)**New Guidance Helps Expand Blood Donation Pool** (available in English and Spanish)**How do you know blood donations are safe?**(available in English and Spanish)
  Learn more about the importance of blood donation, blood types, and how to donate blood.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Blood BankAmerican Red Cross Diversity in Blood TypesAmerica’s Blood Centers: DonatingBlood.orgCDC’s Get Involved: Donate Blood. Save Lives.HHS: Giving = Living CampaignHHS: Giving Blood and PlasmaNHLBI’s Treatments for Blood Disorders Health TopicNational Library of Medicine’s Blood Transfusion and Donation Health Topic
    
          On the day you want to donate blood you bust be in good health and have a healthy pulse and blood pressure, not have a fever, meet your state's age requirement, have a regular blood hemoglobin level, be free of blood-transmissible infections, and not have donated blood in the last 56 days. Back To Top Link
  

        

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