The ISU Blood Drive kicked off this week, Life Serve Blood Center says one person needs a blood transfusion every 2 seconds. Here’s what else you need to know.

Did you know?

• Only 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood but less than 10 percent donate annually.
• There is no substitute for human blood.
• You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating 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.
• One unit of whole blood is roughly the equivalent of one pint.
• About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood.
• Females receive 53 percent of blood transfusions; males receive 47 percent.
• One unit of blood can be separated into several components: red blood cells, plasma, platelets.
• Fourteen lab tests (11 for infectious diseases) are performed on each unit of donated blood.

Read the full story here.

Info courtesy of lifeservebloodcenter.org