Blood Donation Reminders on the Day of the Drive 

• Hydrate and eat a meal prior to your donation – better, start hydrating the day before.  
• Bring ID with you (PebbleCreek ID, Driver’s License work well)  and 
• Make sure you are free of any cold or flu symptoms.  
• Have medication list available if needed.  
• Wear a top with loose-fitting sleeves (preferably short sleeves) so that we can check blood pressure and locate the best vein to use to collect your  blood.  
• Bring a list of all countries (and cities/areas you have visited (with dates) in the past 12 months and do the same for all European countries you have visited since 1980.  
• You must weigh at least 110 pounds.  
• Waiting period between donations is 56 days for whole blood, 112 for Double Red Cell Donations AKA "Power Red"  

If you were unable to donate in the past due to low hemoglobin or iron levels, begin eating the following foods: 

• lentils
• spinach
• soybeans 
• sesame seeds
• liver 
• chickpeas 
• canned clams 
• cashews & almonds 
• tofu 
• quinoa 
• DARK CHOCOLATE (in moderate  amounts). 

Kare Bears partners with Vitalant, a non profit organization formally known as United Blood Services, to coordinate blood drives in PebbleCreek. Vitalant has been the exclusive blood supplier for Arizona for over 75 years, supplying 100% of the blood to all hospitals in Maricopa County. 

PebbleCreek and Vitalant have provided this essential service for several years through the generosity of our residents. One fourth of all blood collected goes to patients during cancer treatments. 

Blood facts: 

• Blood makes up about 7 percent of your body’s weight 
• There are 10 to 12 pints of blood in the body of an average adult 
• One in 7 people entering a hospital will need blood 
• Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood 
• Blood travels through 60,000 miles of vessels inside you, enough to wrap around the earth’s equator roughly 2.5 times 
• Your body makes 180 million red blood cells per hour 
• Red blood cells live about 120 days in the circulatory system 
• Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body and must be transfused into a patient within 42 days 
• Platelets promote blood clotting and must be used within five days 
• Plasma is 92 percent water, carries nutrients throughout the body and can be frozen up to one year 
• Blood or plasma that comes from people who have been paid for it is not used for human transfusion. Instead, it’s made into pharmaceutical products

Blood Donation Requirements

You may be wondering if you can donate blood. Donating blood is safe and easy to do, but there are a few basic requirements to donate blood. If you're in good health and meet the general eligibility blood donation requirements, then you are likely able to give blood. If you've recently gotten a tattoo, traveled abroad or take medications, chances are you can still donate blood, please discuss with Vitalant staff.