Health and Fitness : Fun Facts about Donating Blood! (Which you can do on May 22)

Donate Blood - May 22, 2026 11:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Virginia Gay Hospital-Clinic Conference Room - 502 N 9th Ave, Vinton, IA

See flyer below for details!

Fun Facts about Donating Blood!

In the United States, blood products that are transfused to hospital patients must be from an unpaid volunteer blood donor!

HOW MUCH DOES YOUR DONATION HELP?

A single hospital patient can require a large amount of blood in a single situation

Cancer patients: Up to eight platelet units per week

Burn victims: Up to 20 plasma units

Automobile accidents: Up to 50 red blood cell units

Heart surgery: Up to six red blood cell units + six platelet units

Organ transplants: Up to 25 plasma units + 30 platelet units + 40 red blood cell units

Premature infants: Up to five units of red blood cell

DID YOU KNOW?

One pint of whole blood - the most common form of donation - can save up to three lives! 

• Someone needs blood every two seconds. 

• Less than 10% of the eligible U.S. population (38%) donates annually.

• There is no substitute for human blood. 

• One in seven people entering a hospital need blood.

• Females receive 53 percent of blood transfusions. Males receive 47 percent.

• One unit of blood can be separated into several components: red blood cells, plasma and platelets.

• Fifteen tests (eleven for infectious diseases) are performed on each unit of donated blood.

• Healthy adults who are 16 years old and weigh at least 120 pounds are eligible to donate whole blood