Types of Donations

Attention Directed Donors

Currently, we are unable to direct donations to inpatients at other hospitals.

Platelet donation

Platelets provide the clotting factor in blood. Cancer patients with leukemia, those receiving chemotherapy and undergoing bone marrow transplantation often need one or several platelet transfusions. Platelets have a limited shelf-life of five days. Ample and consistent platelet donations are needed to keep up with the demand. A single platelet donation can be used to help one patient. Platelet donations take approximately two hours. The recommended interval between platelet donations is two weeks. Please consider donating platelets!

Whole Blood donation

Some cancer treatments reduce the number of red blood cells, which can make a patient weak and anemic. Donating blood is an important way to ensure an adequate supply of blood is available for patients undergoing surgery and other cancer treatments at Roswell Park. A single blood donation can be used to help one patient. A blood donation takes approximately 1 hour. You are eligible to donate whole blood every 56 days. Please consider donating blood!

If you are interested in donating, please call The Donor Center at 716-845-8275, schedule an appointment online or e-mail us at BloodDonor@RoswellPark.org.

Preparing for your donation

  • Get plenty of rest prior to your donation.
  • Be sure to hydrate and drink plenty of liquids the night before and leading up to your donation. Try to avoid dehydrating liquids, such as alcohol and coffee, as early as the night before your donation.
  • Eat a healthy meal a few hours before your donation.
  • Try eating foods that are iron-rich. Your body needs iron to produce hemoglobin, which needs to be at a certain level to donate. Green leafy vegetables, red meats, and whole grains are high in iron content. Increasing your intake of Vitamin C will help your body absorb iron.
  • Platelet donors – don’t take any aspirin or aspirin-containing products for 72 hours before donating. Ibuprofen is acceptable. Please consult your physician before you stop taking aspirin.