5 key reasons to donate blood
By the time you finish reading this sentence, someone in the U.S. will need blood. Here's how to help.
Jan, 2026
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Slide 1
Donating blood is often referred to as giving the gift of life—and for good reason. Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood, according to the American Red Cross. And just one unit of donated blood can save up to three lives.
Yet every year, less than 3 percent of people eligible to donate blood do so. There are many reasons a person might not donate, among them a fear of needles, a busy schedule, or perhaps they don’t realize how badly blood is needed. The need is partly because donations have a limited period within which they can be used, meaning there is a constant demand for more.
With that in mind, here are some excellent reasons you should consider donating blood today.
Written byEdiva Zanker.
Medically reviewed byMegan Burke, MD.
Sources: American Red Cross. Importance of Blood Supply. Page accessed October 25 + 16
- American Red Cross. Importance of Blood Supply. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- Mayo Clinic. Blood Donation. Page last updated November 30, 2023.
- American Red Cross. Blood Donor App. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Red Cross. Before Your Donation. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Red Cross. The Blood Donation Process. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Red Cross. How can one donation help multiple people? Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Red Cross. What Happens to Donated Blood. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Red Cross. Platelet Donation. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Red Cross. Autologous and Directed Donations. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- MedlinePlus. Blood donation before surgery. Page last reviewed August 12, 2023.
- American Red Cross. Facts About Blood and Blood Types. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. Rh Factor. Page last reviewed November 10, 2022.
- American Red Cross. What is Your Blood Type. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Red Cross. Whole Blood and What It Contains. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Red Cross. Types of Blood Donations. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
- Sara Martinez. How Much Blood Is Taken When You Donate? OneBlood. September 5, 2024.
- Massachusetts General Hospital. Frequently Asked Questions About Donating Blood. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
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