Blood Facts FIND A BLOOD DRIVE     Volunteer blood donors are the only source of blood products for hospital patients. About 20 percent of the blood used in the United States is donated by students. One blood donor could save as many as three lives with a single donation. Each unit of blood is divided into its component parts: platelets, plasma and red cells. All donated blood is tested for transmitted diseases. You cannot contract the HIV virus or any other infectious disease by donating blood. Four million people need blood every year. That’s one patient every 12 seconds. Patients in Michigan hospitals use about 2,000 units of blood products daily . . . that’s about one unit every 43 seconds. The average blood transfusion is 3.4 units (or pints) of blood. The average adult has 10 to 12 units of blood in his or her body. A new baby has one cup. People are eligible to donate blood every eight weeks. Nearly 97 percent of the U.S. population will have received a blood transfusion by age 75 , but only 5 percent of the population donates blood. Close to 22 percent of patients are over 65 years old. They use about 52 percent of the blood transfused. Patients who suffer from sickle cell anemia, cancer, heart disease, leukemia and other major illnesses may need blood transfusions to survive. Blood donors must be at least 17 years old, in good general health and weigh at least 110 pounds.

for a list of donation centers. PDF