But what about the blood you've just donated. In this area, the blood is transported to the Red Cross Center in Wilkes-Barre. The white cells, leukocytes, are filtered out as they sometimes cause complications for the patient on the receiving end. Samples are sent to a lab in Philadephia for testing, while the bulk of the blood remains stored in Wilkes-Barre, awaiting test results. Red blood cells are used to fight severe blood loss and acute anemia.
Plasma helps burn victims, patients with severe liver disease and clotting deficiencies.
Platelets are used in some cancer therapies, for organ and marrow transplants and for those with aplastic anemia. These tests ensure the blood supply is safe. The components are also labeled according to blood type. Generally, within 24 hours, the Wilkes-Barre Center will receive the lab results electronically from Philadelphia. The blood is then used as needed.