Blood to a stone

December 8, 2006 8:29 AM

Really, we want to give blood.

Okay, this is the third or fourth time we've been misled by the Red Cross blood donation people. Today was the last straw. We used their web page, and found a blood drive five minutes from our house, so made three appointments. Got to the location at 7:45 am only to be told that the drive was for employees only (secure location) and that they were sorry but couldn't let us into the part of the building where they were actually drawing blood. My question is, is there another way for people to donate blood other than going through the ARC? We've tried googling with no luck. My doctor brother in law says there is, but he's not local to us, so doesn't have any more info than that. In the past, they've canceled drives with no notification and lied to us on the phone about our eligibility to give blood following illness. "I'd love to give blood but I have a cold." "Oh, that's okay, go anyway." "Are you sure?" "Oh yes, no problem."

posted by jvilter to health & fitness (13 comments total)

There are often mobile trailers where you can give blood. I did that once in a hospital parking lot in a small town. But it's still through the ARC.

Maybe you should try doing bone marrow instead.
posted by saffry at 8:38 AM on December 8, 2006

Sometimes local hospitals will have there own blood clinics. When I went to NMU (in Marquette, Mich.), the clinic would call me up every semester to give blood. they were open during regular business hours, 5/6 days a week, so you could make an appointment for whenever (although they only had 2 nurses and chairs) and watch 30 minutes or so of TV, get a juice, and leave.

Call your local hospital(s); they may have something similar.
posted by JeremiahBritt at 8:38 AM on December 8, 2006

In the U.S., you might try going through a non-Red Cross blood bank.
posted by chickletworks at 8:43 AM on December 8, 2006

It seems like the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles has a Blood Donation Center. Here is the number - [phone]
posted by Julnyes at 8:44 AM on December 8, 2006

If you want to be a bone marrow donor, go through Gift of Life- they cover some of the cost of the kit they mail you; it's only $36, as opposed to $52.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:44 AM on December 8, 2006 [1 favorite]

USC has a blood donation center, as does UCLA. Not sure what other universities are located in LA, but check around.
posted by cog_nate at 9:00 AM on December 8, 2006

cog_nate has the right idea, I think. Colleges and universities do this stuff all the time.
posted by danb at 9:02 AM on December 8, 2006

There should be other blood banks in your area. Some people won't doante blood to the ARC because they are said to sell their blood or donate blood to other areas that aren't local to the donor site. I really don't give a flip--as long as somebody can use it somewhere, who cares. There are banks that provide locally if you want to help your community.

California Blood Centers
posted by LoriFLA at 9:08 AM on December 8, 2006

Thanks for all the quick responses. Between the time I posted and now, my husband found a number for the City of Hope, and made us three appointments for this afternoon.
posted by jvilter at 9:12 AM on December 8, 2006

Yes, the CHLA blood donor center can hook you up, and don't forget to ask about donating platelets. They have single needle machines that you can donate blood and platelets at the same time. And you can watch a movie to boot.

Tell them Griffin's dad sent you :)
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 9:39 AM on December 8, 2006

Why "three appointments"? Are there three of you wanting to donate? Blood + platelets + something else? I'm just curious.
posted by Alt F4 at 4:17 PM on December 8, 2006

If you really want to help the troops... call a local military base. Most collect blood there. The military collects all of its own blood. We will usually bend over backwards to get you to donate for us.
posted by i_am_a_Jedi at 4:35 PM on December 8, 2006

Three appointments, one each for me, my husband and my son. Lots of good answers here today, and I hope others wil be able to make use of the information.
posted by jvilter at 11:20 PM on December 8, 2006