Plasma Donation

San Diego with its mild weather and beautiful scenery has a collection of terrific blood banks; they are located through the city and vary in operating hours:

SAN DIEGO BLOOD BANK
440 Upas St.
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 296-6393
Operating hours:
Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday

EAST COUNTY DONOR CENTER
680 Fletcher Parkway
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 441-1804
Operating hours:
Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday - Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday

NORTH COUNTY DONOR CENTER
1340 West Valley Parkway
Escondido, CA 92029
(760) 489-0621
Operating hours:
Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday, Monday

NORTH COASTAL DONOR CENTER
161 Thunder Drive
Vista, CA 92083
(760) 945-1906
Operating hours:
Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Closed Sunday, Monday

SOUTH BAY DONOR CENTER
Founded by SDG&E
1717 Sweetwater Rd., Suite G
National City, CA 91950
(619) 336-4090
Operating hours:
Tuesday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday, Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday

Donate:
You can donate bone marrow, blood, plasma, platelets, double red cells

Payment for donor:
none, however they have contests every month for tickets to baseball games and concerts.

Test prior to donation:
Donors must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds, feel well on day of donation. They check iron levels and check vitals like temperature, pulse and blood pressure. For bone marrow they do 2 blood draws & send it out for tests.

How often can donate:
Bone marrow, once unless the receiver needs more. Blood: every 56 days, Platelets: every two weeks. Double red cells every 16 weeks

Time period for donation:
Bone Marrow donations take 2 or 3 hrs for surgical procedure, or 40 hrs spread over 7 days. The donor needs to take 4 days of injections to boost cells before bone marrow donation. A blood new donation only takes 45mins to 1 hr. Regular donors only take 30 minutes to 1 hr.

Up front costs to donor:
none

History of center:
been in business since 1949

Advantages:
The state of California does not allow them to pay for donations; they depend upon the generosity of people.