About Blood
Blood is Essential to Life
It’s no exaggeration to say that blood that is essential to life. But what makes it so important? In short, your blood acts as a transport system that carries oxygen and nutrients throughout your body while serving as a line of defense against infections and wounds. This means if a person suffers from a blood disorder or suffers extreme blood loss, their body isn’t receiving the repairing qualities that blood provides.
Just as crucial to the function of blood, though, is this fact: blood cannot be made or manufactured and can only be provided to another person by a volunteer blood donor. This makes blood donors literal lifesavers and community heroes who help patients fight infections, heal wounds and restore health all by way of a generous volunteer donation.
What Parts Make Up Our Blood?
Blood is composed of a number of different components, but the primary products that are received through a blood donation are red blood cells, platelets and plasma.
What do these different components do?
Components of Blood
Hover over a section to learn more about each of the components.
Plasma
Function
Contains proteins that help stop bleeding
Shelf Life
1 Year
Recipients
Burn and trauma victims
Platelets
Function
Forms clots to control bleeding
Shelf Life
5-7 Days
Recipients
Cancer patients, heart surgery patients and trauma victims
Red Blood Cells
Function
Carries oxygen from lungs to tissue
Shelf Life
42 days
Recipients
Cancer patients, surgery patients and trauma victims
To learn more about blood, visit the America’s Blood Centers website.
Ready to schedule your life-saving blood donation? Call (800) 280-4102 or schedule online today.
