Rotary Blood Drive held March 12th, 2025
Quitman Rotary holds 4-5 blood drives during the year. We schedule when QISD is in class avoiding Holidays, Spring and Summer breaks. The drives are scheduled a minimum of 60 days between drives which allows donors to donate at the next drive. Yes, many donors are continually donating as often as they are allowed.
For whole blood, this is every 60 days. For 'Double Red' donors this is every 112. Double red donors only supply red blood cells while their plasma and platelets are returned to their body. Do not worry, this is a single needle process where blood is taken in, centrifuged (spun around) to separate red blood cells from the plasma/platelets and then the latter is sent back though the same needle back into your body. Due to the separation, this procedure is about 2x more time (~25 minutes) than a Whole Blood donation (10-15 minutes).
If any one wants to donate Plasma or Platelets (which are also in great need), these can take 1-2 hours on an apheresis machine. One hour is for 1 unit (plasma or platelets) while 1.5-2 hours is for 2 or 3 platelet units. How many platelet units can be harvested depend on your platelet count when you donate. A medium level ~160-200, will allow 1 platelet unit. 200-240 is probably is 2 platelet units and if you are 240+, you might be able to donate the maximum of 3 platelet units. A donor can not be on this apheresis machine longer that 2 hours (this is what limits how many platelet units you can donated).
For these donations, it is best to schedule at CBC's Baxter location:
815 Baxter Avenue
Tyler, TX 75701
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 363-0400
Want to read up on various aspects of blood donation: