ISLUCA

Every two seconds, someone, somewhere needs blood. The rarest type is the one not on the shelf when a patient needs it.

Two out of three people can't give, so each that can give needs to cover three spots. Only 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, but less than 10% donate annually. If only 1% more Americans give blood, the shortage would disappear. Blood drives hosted by companies supply half of all blood donations.

There is no substitute for human blood.

• One unit of whole blood is roughly the equivalent of one pint.
• Females receive 53% of blood transfusions; males receive 47%.
• One unit of blood can be separated into several components: red blood cells, plasma, and platelets, and can help three different hospital patients in need.
• 14 lab tests (11 for infectious diseases) are performed on each unit of donated blood.
• Healthy adults who are 16 years old and weigh at least 120 pounds may donate one pint of whole blood - the most common form of donation - every 56 days.

Nine out of ten people who live to age 70 will use blood during their lifetime. New, first-time donors, as well as established donors, are needed to expand and sustain the donor base.