4 Easy Steps to Donation
It's easy to do the right thing
Through 10 Donor Centers and thousands of community-sponsored blood drives every year, tens of thousands of volunteer donors help Memorial Blood Centers meet the demand for life-saving blood from our 30+ hospital partners throughout Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. While walk-ins are always welcome, appointments can be made in advance Online or by calling us at 1-888-GIVE-BLD. And once you arrive for your appointment, there are just four easy steps to the donation process.
Registration
You will be asked to verify your name, address and birth date, present your photo identification to verify age eligibility, and review thoroughly the educational materials provided. Students 16 years old must provide a completed and signed Parental Consent form.
Mini-physical
Your pulse, blood pressure, temperature, and hemoglobin count will be checked. A confidential interview (see iDonate Interview), conducted by a trained specialist from Memorial Blood Centers, will gather information about your general health, medical history, foreign travel, and risk behaviors, as required by the FDA. Your answers help determine your eligibility to be a blood donor.
Blood donation
Collecting a unit of blood—about one pint out of the 10 to 12 your body contains—takes approximately 10 minutes. You will sit in a comfortable chair and answer a few questions. Blood is drawn for your donation, along with several small tubes that are collected for laboratory tests. The equipment used is sterile, used only once, and then discarded.
Relaxation
After your donation, refreshments and a snack are yours to enjoy in the Donor Café as you relax, for as long as you feel necessary. You will be encouraged to drink plenty of liquids. If you feel faint or experience any unfamiliar sensation that concerns you, a Memorial Blood Centers staff member or Café volunteer will be available to assist you immediately.
Once you are ready, you can enjoy the rest of your day knowing that you just helped save lives! You will want to avoid strenuous physical activity or heavy lifting for a few hours and continue to drink plenty of fluids for the remainder of the day.