Did you know there is a national blood donation crisis?  Reports say the blood shortage is the worst it has been in a decade delaying critical life-saving procedures.  Doctors have had to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more blood is available. They need all blood types!

I became aware of this situation because my niece has a friend who recently battled Leukemia. After hearing her story I was compelled to sign up to donate blood as well as help spread the word of this national crisis.  Please make an appointment TODAY to donate blood! I would love to hear if after reading this blog post you sign up to donate blood, please tag me @BlogAboutItAll on social media or send me a message, that would bring me so much joy! 

I donated blood this week and it was easy and everyone was helpful in explaining the entire process from my very first phone call to schedule my appointment. To be honest it has been well over 15 years since I've donated blood.  It was before I had kiddos.  I really do not like needles, I guess who does, right.  I don't even remember what type of donation I made, it was a quick process at a local blood drive.  

In calling to schedule my appointment to donate blood I was informed there are different types of blood donations, I had no idea. 


Whole Blood Donations take about one hour.  This donation is frequently given to trauma patients and people undergoing surgery. You can do this type of donation every 56 days, up to 6 times a year.

Power Red Donations take about one hour, thirty minutes. With this donation, you give a concentrated dose of red cells. This donation is typically given to newborns, emergency transfusions during birth, given to people with sickle cell anemia, and anyone suffering blood loss. You can do this type of donation every 112 days, up to 3 times a year. 

Platelet Donations take 90 minutes to 3 hours. Platelets are tiny cells in your blood that form clots and stop bleeding. Platelets are most often used by cancer patients and others facing life-threatening illnesses and injuries. You can do this type of donation every 7 days, up to 24 times a year. 

Note if you are donating Platelets do not take aspirin for 48 hours/two days before your appointment.

Plasma Donations take one hour and fifteen minutes. During an AB Elite donation, you give plasma, a part of your blood used to treat patients in emergency situations. AB plasma can be given to anyone regardless of their blood type. You can do this type of donation every 28 days, up to 13 times a year.

Making my appointment was easy, I called Vitalant at 1-877-258-4825.  You can also visit them online at Vitalant.org. There are many locations, I found a few that were within a 15-minute drive from our home.  If Vitalant is not near you, you can check with RedCross or also LifeStream.

You must be at least 16 years old and have a permission form if under 18 years old to donate blood. You must also weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good general health.  

Know before you go to donate blood. They encourage you to drink plenty of water before, and after.  They encourage you to eat an iron-rich meal such as red meat, fish, poultry, beans, spinach, iron-fortified cereals, or raisins. Avoid fatty foods like hamburgers, fries, and ice cream.

Bring headphones to listen to relaxing music while you donate, you can bring a book or magazine. You can also bring a blanket if you are typically chilly.  

Be sure your sleeves can roll up above your elbows easily.

Donating blood with a friend is another great way to pass the time easily and make a bigger impact by inviting someone to donate along with you!

After donating blood, you are offered water, juice and snacks. They ask you to stay for a little bit to ensure you are not lightheaded or experience any other side effects. You can also schedule your next appointment while you are there, which is so very needed at this time. 

Here is the story of my niece's friend that was recently shared on NewsNation along with a call for help from her mom for blood donations. I do not personally know this family from Murrieta, CA, I heard of their story through my niece who attends the same school.  My heart goes out to this family and I thank them for sharing their story, in the midst of their battle to help others and to raise awareness of this national crisis.  I hope they know their beautiful daughter is making a difference, and helping others, I donated blood this week in honor of Sadie. #SadieStrong

Help me raise awareness, share on social media, call a friend and ask them to donate with you.  June 14, 2022, is World Blood Donor Day, spread the word, ask the company you work for to get involved, host a blood drive, find out what you can do in your community, let's turn this crisis around. Let's do what we can do to help the Dr's, Nurses, patients in care, and turn around this national shortage. 

Every 2 seconds, someone in the United States needs blood.

38,000 blood donations are needed daily.

There are eight blood types. People with type O negative, are universal donors, their blood can be used by anyone.

4.5 million Americans receive blood transfusions each year.

If you do not what blood type you are, they test you on-site before your donation. They also take your temperature and check your blood pressure before your donation.

Thank you for reading, again I would love to hear if after reading this blog post you signed up to donate blood, please tag me @BlogAboutItAll or send me a message. Thank you for supporting and sharing my posts, I appreciate your support! If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me at theblogaboutitall@gmail.com or send me a message on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.