Types of Donors
Different Types of Blood Donation
Most blood donation involves giving whole blood (the red stuff you see when you bleed), which is usually separated into three constituent parts (not really visible to the naked eye) and transfused into recipients as needed. But there are other types of donation too:
With designated donation, you get to choose whose blood you receive should you need a transfusion. Autologous donation means receiving your own blood, while designated donation means choosing a compatible friend or family member.
During a platelet donation, you are placed on an apheresis machine that removes your blood, extracts some of your platelets and plasma, then returns the remaining red cells. These platelet products are mainly used for babies and patients who are being treated for different types of blood cancers and bone marrow transplants. These donations only take place at our Headquarter branch in Pinelands and the whole donation visit takes about two hours.
Other Types of Donors
We’d be glad to provide information to tourists, whether you’re visiting South Africa and would like to donate blood while you’re here, or are planning a trip elsewhere in Africa and are concerned about blood safety. We also run a special senior citizens’ donor programme for those over the age of 65.