Who can donate?

As part of our screening process blood donors need to meet certain requirements:

Blood Donors Must:

  • Be Healthy – This means that you feel well the day of donation.  If you have a chronic disease such as diabetes, you must be feeling well and have the condition under control through treatment.
  • Be at least 18 years old OR 16/17 years old with signed parental consent form
  • Weight is a critical factor in blood donation, at Blood  Bank of Alaska the weight requirement is 113 lbs.

Double Red Cell Donors

Other aspects of each potential donor’s health history are discussed as part of the donation process before any blood is collected. Each donor receives a brief examination during which temperature, pulse, blood pressure and hemoglobin (or hematocrit) are measured.

Making donations for your own use during surgery (autologous blood donation) is considered a medical procedure that requires a written prescription and the rules for eligibility are less strict than for regular volunteer donations.