Donating Blood

When you donate blood at Marsh Regional Blood Center, you know that your gift is staying close to home to help your friends and neighbors. If you ever need blood, you can take comfort that the blood you receive has been donated in our region by our local donors.

What should I expect?

Where and how long

Giving blood at a Marsh donation center or bloodmobile is incredibly simple. The entire process takes less than an hour to complete.

Scheduling an appointment

Blood donation centers – Kingsport, Bristol, Johnson City

Once you’ve decided to make a donation, you can schedule a blood center appointment online or by calling your local collection center.

Mobile blood drives

The majority of our mobile drives are designed for walk-ins; however, if there are appointments available, you can find them linked on our calendar.

When you arrive

Once you arrive at either the blood center or blood drive, we’ll ask you a few questions to determine your eligibility. One of our trained medical professionals will run through a brief health questionnaire.

They’ll also test your blood pressure, pulse, temperature and red blood cell level. Make sure to tell us about any prescription or over-the-counter medications that you’re currently taking.

Are you able to donate blood?

Check out our eligibility requirements for more information.

Giving blood

Once the questionnaire is finished, you’re ready to donate! There are a few different types of donations you can make with Marsh Regional Blood Center.

Whole Blood Donation

Whole blood donation is what people typically think of when they picture donating blood. During your donation, a pint of whole blood is drawn into a plastic blood bag. The blood can be transfused or separated into components (red blood cells, plasma, and sometimes platelets or cryoprecipitate) to help patients with specific needs.

Platelet Donation

Platelets are important for patients who experience severe trauma or bleeding during surgery. They’re also extremely valuable for those living with autoimmune disorders or cancer. Platelets are donated through a process called apheresis which uses a special machine to separate the platelets from whole blood.

Double Donation

Double donation refers to a double red cell donation. This is perfect for donors who have a busier schedule and can’t donate blood as often.

If you’re choosing a typical blood donation, the process takes about 8–10 minutes. And there’s no need to stress about safety. Every Marsh phlebotomist is a trained professional. All blood bags and needles are completely sterile and used only once.