Platelets, the yellow stuff in your blood, are small cell fragments in the blood that help control bleeding. They are needed by many types of patients, including those undergoing cancer treatments, bone marrow or organ transplants, trauma procedures or open heart surgeries.

Because platelets can only be stored for 5 days, the need for platelet donations is vast and continuous.

• In one platelet donation, you give up to 12 times the number of platelets typically collected in a routine whole blood donation.
• During a platelet donation, only platelets are taken; your remaining blood components are returned to you.
• Only a small percentage of your platelets are collected, so there is no risk of bleeding problems.
• Platelets can be donated every seven days.
• Depending on your height and weight, the donation process takes approximately 70 minutes to 2 hours.