BANGOR, Maine — NEWS CENTER Maine is partnering with the American Red Cross to host several blood donation sites across the state on Wednesday. Representatives from the Red Cross said donors can save time by completing the health history questionnaire before their appointment.
"The questions are really designed to make sure that the blood that you're giving is safe to give to another person," Executive Director of American Red Cross for Northern and Eastern Maine Caroline King said.
Even though it sounds simple, King said filling out all the questions on the health history questionnaire helps the Red Cross determine whether donors are eligible to donate and who their blood can be can donated to.
To register to donate blood at one of NEWS CENTER Maine's blood drive locations across the state, click here. To start your health history questionnaire form, click here.
"We want to make the donation process as comfortable and as stress free as possible for our donors," Red Cross Communications Director Jennifer Costa said. "The best thing we can ask you to do is to make an appointment and fill out that rapid pass because it can save you about 15 to 20 minutes on the day of your donation."
Donors are required to answer some questions in the form to be eligible to donate blood. Some of those questions may ask if you have recently traveled internationally or if you have recently been sick. Donors will also be asked whether they are currently taking any antibiotics or if they are on any medications.
Taking some medications, like blood thinners, may make it unsafe for a donor to give blood.
Donors may even be asked whether they have ever had certain viruses, which King said could determine whether a donor's blood can be used for a variety of patients.
"Your blood is better suited to give to small babies if you haven't had certain viruses," King said.
Other questions about race and ethnicity are optional, but Costa and King explained that the answers to those questions can help the Red Cross match blood donations with patients who suffer from some chronic illnesses more common in specific groups, like sickle cell disease.
"A patient is much more likely to find a compatible blood match from a similar race or ethnicity," Costa said.
"The best possible match for someone with sickle cell is typically someone who is African American," King said.
The questionnaire is confidential, so when blood donors decline to answer questions about ethnicity, the Red Cross generally doesn't further test the donor's blood for sickle cell matches.
"If we know, we know. If we don't, we don't," King said.
Being that only two to three percent of the population gives blood during any given year, King said there is a constant need for donations.
"Making sure that there is blood on the shelf is an ongoing challenge," King said "Making sure that it's the right kind and the right type makes that even more of a challenge."
Donors can decline to answer questions about anything that makes them uncomfortable, but King said the more information you provide, the more lives you could potentially save.
Declining to answer questions that are required could affect donor eligibility.
Costa explained that donors don't need to know their blood type to donate blood.
She also said donors should be sure to eat and drink plenty of water before and after giving blood.
There are still a few appointment slots open at various NEWS CENTER Maine blood drive locations.