Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

About Blood and Platelet Donations

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    Donate Blood and Platelets

    617-632-3206
    EMAIL

    Kraft Center Hours

    Monday: CLOSED
    Tuesday: 6:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    Wednesday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Thursday: 6:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Saturday: 7:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
    Sunday: CLOSED

    People undergoing treatment for cancer — as well as accident victims, transplant recipients, and many other patients — depend on transfusions to control their bleeding. Volunteer donors are the only source of blood products for these patients.

    When you donate whole blood or platelets at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, or give blood onboard the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital Blood Mobile — the traveling extension of the Kraft Center — you are making a life-saving difference for patients in need, right here in the community.

    About Blood Donation

    Being able to count on volunteer blood donors at all times is especially important because blood has a limited shelf life. Volunteer donors ensure that there will be a sufficient supply of blood for the patients who need it, whenever they need it.

    Blood donations benefiting Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women's patients are collected in two locations:

    • At the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, located on the first floor of the Jimmy Fund Building at 35 Binney Street in Boston.
    • At blood drives hosting the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Blood Mobile, which travels to community organizations, businesses, and schools throughout greater Boston.

    In general, to donate blood, you should be:

    • At least 17 years old
    • 110 pounds or heavier
    • In good health

    And you should not:

    • Be pregnant or trying to become pregnant
    • Have felt sick within 72 hours of your donation appointment
    • Have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test
    • Have used needles to take any drugs not prescribed by your doctor IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS
    • Have taken money, drugs, or other payment for sex IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS
    • Have had sexual contact IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS with anyone described above
    • Have taken any medication to prevent HIV infection by mouth IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS (these medications may be known by you under the following names: PrEP, PEP, Truvada, or Descovy)
    • Have taken an injection or shot to prevent HIV infection IN THE PAST 2 YEARS
    • Have EVER taken any medication to treat HIV infection

    Other Requirements

    • Antibiotics: Be 72 hours free AND 72 hours symptom-free.
    • Dental work: Be 48 hours free of completed procedures — including cleanings. Please contact blood donor center with questions or if work on a specific procedure is ongoing.
    • Medications or medical conditions: Please contact the blood donor center.
    • Travel outside the USA: If within 3 months, please contact the blood donor center with detailed dates and locations.
    • Living outside the USA: If lived for 5 years or more, please contact the donor center with detailed dates and locations.
    • Tattoos: 3 month deferral.
    • Body piercings (includes ears): 3 month deferral.

    About Platelet Donation

    Platelets are the blood component serving as the body's "bandages." They allow blood to clot, helping wounds to heal.

    Cancer patients, people who have sustained trauma, babies in the neonatal intensive care unit, and many other critically ill patients are at serious risk because their blood does not clot properly. They need transfusions of healthy platelets to control their bleeding. Volunteer donors are the only source of platelets for these patients.

    Being able to count on volunteer platelet donors at all times is especially important because platelets have a shelf life of just five days. Volunteer donors ensure that there will always be a sufficient supply of platelets for patients in need.

    Platelets benefiting patients at both Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women's are collected at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, located on the first floor of the Jimmy Fund Building at 35 Binney Street in Boston.

    In general, to donate platelets, you should be:

    • At least 17 years old
    • 110 pounds or heavier
    • In good health

    Other Requirements

    • Antibiotics: Be 72 hours free AND 72 hours symptom-free.
    • Dental work: Be 48 hours free of completed procedures — including cleanings. Please contact blood donor center with questions or if work on a specific procedure is ongoing.
    • Medications or medical conditions: Please contact the blood donor center.
    • You should not have taken any aspirin, or drugs containing aspirin (such as Anacin, Excedrin, or Feldene), within 48 hours of donating.
    • You should not have taken any Aleve, ibuprofen, or drugs containing ibuprofen (such as Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories), within 24 hours of donating.
    • Travel outside the USA: If within 12 months, please contact the blood donor center with detailed dates and locations.
    • Living outside the USA: If lived for 5 years or more, please contact the donor center with detailed dates and locations.
    • Tattoos: If tattoo was done in a Massachusetts state-regulated facility and the area is healed, then OK to donate.
    • Body piercings (includes ears): If piercing was done in a state-regulated facility, then OK to donate.
    • Female donors who have had a live birth: Beginning in October, 2016, regulations require that platelets and plasma from females who have had a live birth be tested and have results interpreted as negative for HLA antibodies.
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    Blood and Platelet Donation Appointments at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center

    To accommodate donors' needs and scheduling preferences, and to meet the needs of patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center offers morning, evening, and weekend hours.

    Appointment slots are available during the following timeframes:

    • Monday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    • Tuesday: 6:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Wednesday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    • Thursday: 6:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    • Saturday: 7:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

    Our Blood Bank Is Always Open

    Our blood bank is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Patients can need platelets at any hour of the day or night. So when you donate at the Kraft Donor Center, you know that the patients at Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women's will benefit.

    Donors are welcome to set up a series of recurring appointments for the same day of the week and time of day. Please contact us at 617-632-3206 or BloodDonor@partners.org to schedule a recurring appointment.

    Questions about eligibility or the donation process?

    We're happy to help. Please call us at 888-LETS-GIV (538-7448) or 617-632-3206, or email us at BloodDonor@partners.org.

    Hosting the Blood Mobile

    Made possible through the generous support of the Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Friends of Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Blood Mobile is the traveling extension of the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center. The Blood Mobile hosts blood drives in locations throughout the greater Boston area — allowing companies, community organizations, high schools and colleges, and others to make a life-saving difference for their neighbors in need.

    Mobile blood drives are a wonderful way to serve the community; to honor and remember family, friends, and co-workers; to support specific individuals in need of blood product transfusions — or simply to help many Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women's patients at once.

    Interested in hosting the Blood Mobile? Contact Molly McDermott at 440-320-1469, or mmmcdermott@bwh.harvard.edu.