The fourth and final step is a visit to the canteen to refresh you before leaving the blood donation site. Donors tell us that knowing they have saved up to three lives with each blood donation is their greatest reward for the time they've spent donating blood. The Red Cross partners with an extensive network of groups committed to saving lives, including businesses, high schools, colleges, churches, and other community organizations. People can also donate blood at Red Cross blood centers. People who have certain conditions, such as high blood pressure or anemia, are typically eligible to donate if the condition is under control on the day of donation.
Many medications are also acceptable.
We often follow the rule of mending versus maintenance. If you are recovering, you probably cannot donate. However, if you take a medication regularly to control a condition, you may be able to donate. Although most blood is donated as whole blood, it is also possible to donate only a portion of blood using a technique called apheresis. Blood is drawn from the vein of a donor into an apheresis instrument, which separates the blood into different portions by centrifugation.