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Donating in Australia

Australian Red Cross Blood Service

Australian Bone Marrow Registry

Some other important links

African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust

DWIB Leukaemia Trust

Donating in the US

If you are living in the US and want more information on donating blood, click here.

Donate to the Red Cross.

National Marrow Donor Program

New Zealand blood service

All about the New Zealand Blood Service.

Where to donate?

Information for potential bone marrow donors

How are blood stem cells collected?

Bone Marrow Registry

Thank you to all the donors.

UK blood and bone marrow donations

To find out about the UK Blood Service, click here.

To find out about where you can donate in the UK, click here.

What is the process? Click here.

Bone Marrow donations. Click here.

Donating blood / bone marrow in South Africa

South African Blood Service

South African Bone Marrow Registry

Blood groups

"Blood groups are complex chemical systems found on the surface of blood cells. The two main blood group systems in transfusion practice are the ABO system and the Rh(D) type. Identification of the correct blood group is important to prevent reaction following transfusion.

Within the ABO system, people can be one of four groups - O, A, B or AB, while in the Rh(D) system they can be either Rh(D) positive or Rh(D) negative. Each system is inherited independently of the other. As a result, there are eight main blood groups.

The Givers/Receivers chart below shows the compatibility of different blood groups. For example, an A negative patient may receive blood from an O negative or an A negative donor.

Click here to play an online game of blood transfusions on the Nobel Prize website, or see Resources and Links for resources for teachers to use in the classroom to educate students about blood.

Rh(D) negative patients should not normally receive Rh(D) positive red cells, this is particularly important in women of childbearing age.

Type O is the most common blood type with around 50% of New Zealanders having this blood group. Type O negative donors are referred to as "the universal donors" because in an emergency their red cells can be transfused to people who have any blood type. Because any patient can receive type O negative blood, there is a particular need for O donors to give regularly.

Frequency of blood groups in the New Zealand donor population

Inheritance of Blood Groups

Blood groups are inherited from our biological parents in the same way as eye colour and other genetic traits.
Within the ABO Blood Group system, the A and B genes are co-dominant, ie these will be expressed whenever the gene is present. The O gene is silent and only expressed when neither A nor B is present.

The Rh(D) group is also dominant and will be expressed if inherited from either parent. If the Rh(D) gene is not inherited from either biological parent then the individual will be Rh(D) negative.

The following charts outline the possible ABO and Rh(D) group combinations of parents and the possible blood types of their biological children.

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Where do they use collected blood products?

• "Fresh frozen plasma - used to treat patients who have bleeding problems
• Platelets - for control of haemorrhage, often in patients with leukaemia
• Cryoprecipitate - contains blood clotting substitutes for seriously ill patients
• White cells - occasionally used for patients who are not producing their own white cells
• Red blood cells - used for the treatment of anaemia and bleeding after trauma and surgery
• Frozen red cells - used for long term storage of rare blood groups
• Filtered red cells - for patients who have antibodies against white cells."

For more information click here.

All About Blood - White Blood Cells

"White Cells are vital to prevent and fight infection. White cells are made in the bone marrow and their life span varies from a few hours to many weeks. White cells are essential to protect us from infection, but they are not often transfused because they are difficult to collect and their life span is so short."

All About Blood - Plasma

"Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood and is a protein-salt solution in which red and white blood cells and Platelets are suspended. Plasma, which is 90% water, constitutes about 55% of blood volume. Plasma contains:

• Albumin - the chief protein constituent
  
• Fibrinogen - responsible in part, for the clotting of blood
  
• Globulins - including antibodies and other clotting proteins.

Plasma serves a variety of functions, from maintaining a satisfactory blood pressure and volume to supplying critical proteins for blood clotting and immunity. It also serves as the medium of exchange for vital minerals such as sodium and potassium.

Find out about giving a plasma donation through a process called apheresis here."

All About Blood - Platelets

"Platelets are very small cellular components that help the clotting process by sticking to the lining of blood vessels. Platelets are made in the bone marrow and survive in the circulatory system for an average of 9 to 10 days before being removed from the body by the spleen. The platelet is vital to life, because it helps prevent both massive blood loss resulting from trauma and blood vessel leakage that would otherwise occur in the course of normal day-to-day activity.

Find out about giving a platelet donation through a process called apheresis here."

All About Blood - Red Blood Cells

"Red Blood Cells are perhaps the most recognisable component of Whole Blood. Red cells contain haemoglobin, a complex iron-containing protein that carries oxygen throughout the body and gives blood its red colour.
Manufactured in the bone marrow, red blood cells are continuously being produced and broken down. They live for approximately 120 days in the circulatory system and are eventually removed by the spleen.

Patients who benefit most from transfusions of red blood cells include those with chronic anaemia resulting from disorders such as kidney failure, malignancies or gastrointestinal bleeding and those with acute blood loss resulting from trauma or surgery.

Donated red blood cells normally have a life of 35 days or may be treated and frozen for extended storage for up to 10 years.

Red Blood Cells can be donated through an Allogeneic donation (whole blood)."