About Blood Donations through the DeGowin Blood Center
Calling All Heroes
Each week more than 450 blood products are transfused at the hospital. Cancer patients, surgical patients, premature infants, people being treated for accident and trauma, recipients of marrow and organ transplants and patients with diseases such as sickle cell anemia and hemophilia all depend on donated blood as part of their care.
Blood donors are welcome at the Blood Center in the hospital (Elevator B, Level 2) or at a DeGowin blood drive in the community. Walk-ins are accepted but appointments are preferred.
450+
blood products are transfused each week
Types of Blood Donation
Whole Blood Donation
During a whole blood donation, a donor donates one pint of whole blood. The entire whole blood donation process takes about 45 minutes. After the donation, the donated whole blood is separated by the blood bank into two transfusable components – red cells and plasma. This means that up to two patients can be helped with each whole blood donation.
Whole blood donation takes place at our community blood drives as well as in the Donor Center. The donation interval for a whole blood donation varies based on the age of the donor.
Automated or Platelet Donation
Through a procedure called apheresis, platelets, plasma and red cells can be collected from one donor during a single automated donation process. In this way a donor is able to help up to three patients. The best products to be collected from a donor are based on the donor’s blood type, pre-donation blood counts, and the products most needed by the patients in UI Health Care on a daily basis.
Platelet donation only takes place at the Donor Center in the hospital. The entire process takes between one and a half to two and a half hours. During this time, donors are welcome to read, watch television or work on a small electronic device. The donation interval varies for each blood product donated via an automated donation.
We offer a full range of therapeutic procedures including plasma exchange, red blood cell exchange (or red blood cell depletion/exchange), photopheresis, cellular depletion, peripheral blood stem cell and mononuclear cell collection, and therapeutic phlebotomy
The University of Iowa DeGowin Blood Center instituted a scholarship program for deserving high school seniors who have donated blood, helped with blood drives and/or have shown community service leadership.
