Blood Donation 

You can give life to your community by donating at either a Central California Blood Center near you or by stopping by one of the many mobile blood drives held every day around the Central Valley.  By donating you help to ensure an adequate supply of blood is available for your family, friends and neighbors when they need it. 

What to Expect:
Blood donation is a simple four-step process.

1. Register
A photo ID and Social Security Number are required to register, then you’ll be asked to verify your name and address.  

2. Mini-Physical and Interview
The mini-physical consists of checking your pulse, blood pressure, temperature and iron level. In the confidential interview, a trained interviewer will ask questions about your general health and medical history, as well as questions concerning risk behaviors, foreign travel and other subjects.

Your mini-physical and interview are conducted to ensure that giving blood is healthy for you and that your blood is as safe as possible for the recipient(s). All information gathered during the physical and interview is kept strictly confidential. 

3. Whole Blood Donation
The collection of a unit, about one pint, of blood takes about 15 minutes. You may feel a small pinch when the needle is inserted, but most donors do not feel any pain for the duration of the donation.

Once a unit has been collected, additional small tubes of blood will be collected for laboratory tests. All blood collection equipment is sterile and used only once.

4. Relax
After your donation, you can enjoy some refreshments to help replenish your fluids. At this time, you have the option of scheduling your next donation appointment. After you’re done with relaxing and refreshments, you can resume your normal daily activities.