01. Anyone in good health, at least 17 years old (or 16 years old with parental consent – click here for consent form), and at least 110 pounds may donate whole blood every 56 days.
02. 4.5 million American lives are saved each year by blood transfusions.
03. 40,000 pints of donated blood are used each day in the United States.
04. Someone needs blood every two seconds.

06. Up to 3 lives are saved by one pint of donated blood.
07. Between 8-12 pints of blood are in the body of an average adult.
08. One unit of blood is ~525 mL, which is roughly the equivalent of one pint.
09. A newborn baby has about one cup of blood in their body.
10. The average transfusion patient receives 3 units of red blood cells.
11. A, B, AB and O are the four main types of blood types. AB is the universal recipient, O negative is the universal donor.
12. Blood centers often run short of types O and B blood.

14. The actual blood donation usually takes less than ten minutes. The entire process from the time you sign in to the time you leave takes about an hour.
15. Giving blood will not decrease your strength.

17. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s organs and tissue.
18. There are one billion red blood cells in two to three drops of blood.
19. Platelets support blood clotting and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.
20. The shelf life of donated red blood cells is 42 days.
21. The shelf life of donated platelets is five days.
22. Car accident and blood loss victims may need transfusions of 50 pints or more of red blood cells.

24. Severe burn victims may need 20 units of platelets during their treatment.
25. Children being treated for cancer, premature infants and children having heart surgery need blood and platelets from donors of all types.
26. Cancer, transplant and trauma patients, and patients undergoing open-heart surgery often require platelet transfusions to survive.
27. 500,000 Americans donated blood in the days following the September 11th attacks.
28. 94% of blood donors are registered voters.
29. Bone marrow transplant patients can use up to 120 platelets and red blood cells from about 20 people.
30. 17% of non-donors cite “never thought about it” as the main reason for not giving, while 15% say they’re too busy. The #1 reason donors say they give is because they “want to help others.”