• More than 4.5 million patients need blood transfusions each year in the US and Canada. would die each year without life saving blood transfusions.
• 43,000 pints of donated blood are used each day in the US and Canada.
• Every three seconds someone needs blood.
  On average, one out of every 7 people entering the hospital will need blood.
• Blood banks often run short of type O and B blood.
• The average red-cell transfusion amounts to 2.7 pints.

How Blood Helps

• Each unit of donated blood can be separated into several components (red cells, plasma, platelets, cryoprecipitate).
• As components, just one pint of donated blood can help up to 3 people.

Among 100% of Americans, Blood Types Are Distributed As Follows:

How Blood Works

• Healthy bone marrow makes red cells, plasma, and platelets constantly.
• Blood components fight infection and helps heal wounds.
• Red cells carry oxygen to organs and body tissues.
• Platelets help blood clot and may give people with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.

Blood Donation

• Must be healthy, 17 or older, and weigh 110 pounds or more. 
• Minimum time between donations is 56 days.
• Each donated pint of blood can help up to 3 people.Giving blood takes 45-60 minutes for the entire process (actual donation takes just 7-10 minutes; the rest of the time is for registration, health screening, and rest/snack period).

It’s A Fact...

1. Blood makes up about 7% of your body's weight.
   A newborn baby has about one cup (8 ounces) of blood in his or her body.
2. There are four main blood types: A, B, AB and O. AB is the “universal recipient” and O negative is the “universal donor”.
3. Shortages of all types of blood most often occur during summer and winter holidays.
4. Giving blood will not decrease your strength.
5. You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating blood.

Download more fascinating facts about blood and blood donation!

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