Roll up your sleeve: how giving blood can save lives

NHS blood donor

Eliza Young

Blood is something most of us take for granted. It flows through our bodies every second of every day, carrying oxygen, nutrients and other essential substances that keep us alive. Yet when someone loses a significant amount of blood through an accident, surgery, childbirth or illness, there is no artificial substitute that can simply replace everything the body needs.

Also read how to donate your organs

You can create an account online, then look up your nearest place (take a book, as the clinics are short-staffed so often you have to wait beyond your appointment). You’ll be asked beforehand if you have any medical conditions – you can’t attend even if you have a cough) to save wasted journeys.

On arrival, you will be given a brief health check, and a quick pin-prick test to check for iron levels and any other conditions that would mean you can’t donate that day.

Have something to eat/drink before, don’t do strenous exercise, nor drink alcohol/caffeine for a few days before.

You’ll then be taken to a reclining chair, and a nurse or trained professional will watch over you, while a needle is inserted into your arm, and blood is collected for around 15 minutes (you give around a pint, which is a safe amount – your body has 8 to 12 pints of blood.

You then get tea and biscuits/crisps, rest for 20 minutes or so, and then go home and take it easy for the rest of the day.

Who can give blood?

Eligibility requirements vary depending on where you live and the blood service responsible for collecting donations.

Some people can’t give blood (travel to certain countries, recent tattoos and age/weight limits).

  • Factors such as age, weight, health, medications, recent illnesses, travel history and previous medical procedures can affect whether someone is able to donate.
  • Blood donation services have screening requirements for an important reason: they need to protect both donors and patients.
  • If you are unsure whether a medical condition, medication or recent event affects your eligibility, contact the blood service rather than guessing.

Your safety comes first

  • Before donating, staff assess whether it is safe for you to give blood. The amount collected is carefully controlled, and sterile, single-use equipment is used for the donation.
  • Afterwards, donors are normally encouraged to rest, drink fluids and have something to eat.
  • Some people feel completely fine after donating, while others may experience temporary effects such as light-headedness, tiredness or bruising around the needle site.
  • If you feel unwell during or after donation, tell a member of the donation team or seek appropriate medical advice.
  • Following the instructions given by the blood donation service can help make the experience as safe and comfortable as possible.

Preparing for your donation

  • Make sure you have eaten appropriately before your appointment and drink plenty of fluids. Avoid arriving dehydrated, as this can make the process less comfortable.
  • Wear clothing that allows easy access to your upper arm. It can also be helpful to leave enough time after the appointment to rest rather than scheduling an intense physical activity immediately afterwards.
  • You should follow the specific instructions provided by your local blood donation service because preparation guidance can vary.
  • If you are feeling unwell on the day, tell the donation staff. It may be safer to postpone your donation.

What does giving blood feel like?

For many people, the most noticeable part of donating blood is the initial needle insertion.

  • You may feel a brief sharp sensation as the needle enters the arm. Once the donation is underway, you generally remain seated or lying down while the blood is collected.
  • Some donors find the experience surprisingly easy. Others may feel nervous, particularly if they dislike needles.
  • If you are anxious, let the staff know. Blood donation teams are accustomed to helping people who are nervous about the process.
  • Looking away from the needle, focusing on your breathing and keeping yourself occupied with conversation can make the experience more comfortable.

How is your donated blood used?

Once your blood is collected, it’s labelled and sent to a lab, where it’s tested for safety and sorted into:

  • Red cells (for anaemia or surgery)
  • Plasma (for burns, liver disease, or bleeding disorders)
  • Platelets (for cancer treatment or severe bleeding)

These are then delivered to hospitals as needed, and you even receive an email showing where your blood went and how it was used.

For instance, if you have a rare blood type, you may learn that it helped a child with sickle cell anaemia. The blood is usually used within a few weeks, though plasma can be frozen for up to a year.

But remember that common blood types are just as important, as most people have them, so there is a bigger demand overall. Just like putting diesel into a petrol car, it’s important that the right blood type is given to the right patient.

Why donated blood is needed

Blood can be required following serious accidents and major operations, but the need extends much further. People being treated for certain cancers, blood disorders and other medical conditions may require transfusions as part of their care.

Blood can also be needed when patients experience severe blood loss or when their bodies cannot produce enough healthy blood cells themselves.

Unlike many medicines, blood cannot simply be manufactured on demand. Supplies depend on people choosing to donate.

This makes voluntary blood donors an essential part of healthcare systems. A healthy person gives a small amount of their blood, which is carefully tested, processed and made available for patients whose doctors determine that a transfusion is necessary.

What happens when you donate blood?

When you arrive at a blood donation session, you will normally be asked questions about your health and medical history. These checks help determine whether donating is appropriate for you and whether your blood can be safely used.

A trained member of staff will usually check your haemoglobin level before donation. This helps ensure that your haemoglobin is at an appropriate level for you to donate.

If you are eligible to donate, you will be taken through to the donation area. A sterile, single-use needle and collection equipment are used to collect the blood.

The donation itself generally takes only a limited amount of time, although you should allow additional time for registration, health checks and refreshments afterwards.

Once your donation is complete, you can rest and have something to eat and drink before leaving.

Where does your blood go?

After donation, the collected blood does not simply go directly from donor to patient.

  • It goes through a carefully controlled process. Donations are tested to check for certain infections and to confirm blood group information. The blood can then be processed into different components.
  • These components may include red blood cells, platelets and plasma.
  • Separating blood into components means that a single donation can potentially contribute to the treatment of more than one patient, depending on how it is processed and used.
  • Each component has a different role in the body, which means different patients may need different parts of donated blood.
  • This processing system allows healthcare professionals to provide patients with the specific component required for their treatment rather than necessarily giving every component contained in whole blood.

Red blood cells and their importance

Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen around the body.

  • When someone has lost a substantial amount of blood, their ability to transport oxygen can be compromised. A red blood cell transfusion may therefore be required to support the patient’s treatment.
  • Red blood cells can be particularly important in situations involving significant blood loss, including certain emergency situations and surgical procedures.
  • They may also be used for people with particular medical conditions that affect their red blood cells or their body’s ability to produce them.
  • The fact that red blood cells have a limited storage life means that maintaining a regular supply of suitable donations is important.

Platelets help the blood clot

You can also donate plasma, which is drawn using a special method that separates this pale yellow liquid from red cells, then returns the rest of the blood to your body. This process takes longer (up to 45 minutes) but again it’s easy and painless.

This has special proteins to help burns and accident victims, or people with bleeding or immune disorders.

Plasma has an important role too

  • Plasma is the liquid part of blood. It carries blood cells and contains proteins and other substances that are important to normal bodily function.
  • Donated plasma can be used in various medical circumstances, depending on healthcare requirements and how the donation has been processed.
  • Plasma contains proteins involved in blood clotting, which means plasma products can be important for patients with certain bleeding problems.

Together, red blood cells, platelets and plasma demonstrate the complexity of blood and why maintaining a reliable supply is so important.

Blood types matter

People have different blood groups, and compatibility is an important consideration when blood is transfused. Healthcare professionals use blood-group information to determine which blood products are appropriate for individual patients.

This is another reason why a diverse donor population is valuable. Blood services need donations from people with different blood groups to maintain appropriate supplies.

Your blood type may make your donation particularly useful at certain times, depending on current demand. When you donate, your blood group is determined as part of the processing and testing process.

Blood donation during emergencies

Major emergencies can create an urgent need for blood. Serious accidents, natural disasters and other events involving significant injuries can result in multiple patients requiring urgent medical treatment.

However, maintaining blood supplies should not be viewed solely as an emergency response. Hospitals need blood every day, including when there is no major public incident making headlines.

This is why donating regularly, rather than waiting for an emergency appeal, is so important. The strongest blood supply is one that is maintained consistently before a crisis occurs.

Blood donation and surgery

Blood may be needed during or after certain surgical procedures, particularly when substantial blood loss is expected or occurs unexpectedly.

Modern surgical techniques and medical care can reduce blood loss in many circumstances, but transfusions remain an important treatment option when clinically necessary.

Patients undergoing surgery may already be dealing with serious illness or injury. Having appropriate blood products available gives medical teams another vital resource when managing their care.

Helping people living with illness

Some people require blood products because of ongoing or serious medical conditions. Patients receiving certain cancer treatments, for example, may experience reduced blood cell levels and require transfusions.

People with particular blood disorders may also need regular blood products as part of their treatment. For these patients, donated blood can become an important part of continuing medical care rather than a one-off emergency intervention.

How to join the Stem Cell Register

While some people donate blood or plasma, others go a step further by joining the stem cell (bone marrow) register. Once your cheek swab is collected, the team will check your tissues (not just your blood type). Then you could be invited to donate, if there is a match with a blood cancer patient.

If you’re matched through the stem cell registry, staff may ask you to donate bone marrow. You take a course of injections over a few days to boost stem cells, then donate in a way similar to plasma.

To surgically remove bone marrow, this is a minor procedure under general anaesthetic, where doctors collect marrow from your hip bone using a needle. Most donors report some soreness afterwards, but no lasting pain.

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