UMKC Bi-Annual Blood Drive

The process for whole blood donation usually takes about one hour. The blood collection itself is usually about 10 minutes. The donation process includes registration, a brief medical screening, blood collection and refreshments. Expect to spend about two hours for apheresis (platelet) collections.

Whole blood and apheresis (platelet) donations are about 1 pint. One pint is roughly equal to 1 pound.

• Donate whole blood every 8 weeks. Red blood cells are the oxygen carrying cells. They can take two weeks or longer to fully return to normal.


• Donate platelets (apheresis donation) as much as twice in one week -or up to 24 times per year. Platelet and plasma components are replaced in the body more quickly than red cells. Platelets will return to normal levels within a few hours of donating. Plasma, the watery substance of your blood, takes a couple of days.

The minimum blood donor age is 16 years old. There is no upper age limit.

Yes. You cannot get HIV or any other infectious disease from donating blood.

Yes. Screening questions must be asked of all donors at each donation. This is an FDA requirement that helps blood centers ensure the safest possible blood supply.