A Unique Gift
There is no substitute for human blood. Everyone has it and needs it – to carry nutrients and oxygen throughout the body; to carry carbon dioxide and other waste back to lungs, kidneys, and liver; to fight against infection; to help heal wounds. When people lose blood or can’t produce enough, their lives may depend on volunteer blood donors.

The Need
Last year, Michigan Community Blood Centers collected about 100,000 units of blood – and the need continues to increase.

Reasons People Need Blood

• Cancer
• Heart and blood vessel disease
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract
• Emergencies (accidental injuries, burns, etc.)

About Blood Cells

• Produced in bone marrow
• Vertebrae, ribs, pelvis, skull, and sternum are especially productive cell “factories”
• Circulated throughout body by plasma, a pale yellow mixture of water, proteins, and salts (plasma also circulates nutrients, enzymes, and hormones).
• Plasma and the different types of cells that make up blood are called components
• Separated out of whole blood in the laboratory, different components are transfused individually depending on the patient’s particular medical needs

Red Cells

• Disc-shaped
• Contain hemoglobin
• Pick up and deliver oxygen throughout the body

White Cells

• Defend the body against infection
• Can move out of blood stream and reach tissues where infection threatens

Platelets

• Help control bleeding
• Form clusters to plug small holes in blood vessels and help clotting process

© Michigan Community Blood Centers