Blood Donation Service

The blood needed by patients at all Lakeland facilities is provided by Michigan Community Blood Centers, a nonprofit community blood bank. They conduct mobile blood drives throughout Berrien County and also welcome blood donors at their permanent facility at 2710 Cleveland Avenue in St. Joseph.

Although appointments are preferred, walk-in blood donors are also welcome. Any healthy person 17 or older who weighs 110 pounds or more may be eligible to donate. Donors can give blood to the community blood supply every 56 days. With a doctor’s order, people also may donate for their own use (autologous blood donation) or for another specific individual (directed blood donation).

For regular donation hours at 2710 Cleveland Avenue, click here. To schedule a donation appointment, call (269) 408-1540; or call toll-free 1-866-MIBLOOD and press the menu option for “Southwest Michigan.”

The Lakeland Auxiliaries, together with Michigan Community Blood Centers, sponsor regular blood drives at the Lakeland hospitals in St. Joseph and Niles, as well as at Lakeland Specialty Hospital, Berrien Center.

Blood Donation Facts
Giving blood takes only a short time. The average donation time is just 7-10 minutes to draw your blood, plus approximately 45 minutes more for registration, a pre-donation health screening, and snack/rest period following the blood draw.

Every donated pint of blood can help 3 people.

You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease from the act of donating blood. The equipment used to collect blood is sterile and used only for your single donation. Michigan Community Blood Centers performs 12 different tests, nine of which detect infectious diseases, on each unit of blood that is donated.

Donor Requirements
You may be eligible to give blood every 56 days if you are a healthy person at least 17 years of age and weigh 110 pounds or more.

You may need to wait to donate blood if you have:

Allergies–Donate only if symptoms are under control.

Colds and Flu–Wait until you have no fever and you feel well.

Dental Work–Wait two to six weeks after major procedures; OK after fillings and cleanings if symptom free.

Infectious Diseases–Check with the donor services staff if you have been exposed to any contagious disease (measles, chicken pox, mumps, mononucleosis, whooping cough) in the past four to six weeks.

Pregnancy–Wait six weeks after delivery or miscarriage.

Ear/Body Piercing–You may donate if the piercing was done with a disposable device or in a doctor’s office; otherwise, wait 12 months.

Skin Infections –Wait until wounds or burns are healed and infection-free.

Medications–Many are acceptable. Donor services staff will ask for the exact names of any/all medications you are currently taking during the pre-donation health screening.

Vaccinations–Those with Flu vaccination can donate; check with donor services staff about other vaccinations.

Past Deferrals–If you have been deferred in the past, please try again, because changes in donor criteria may make you eligible now.

You must wait 12 months (1 year) to donate after receiving a tattoo or after treatment for syphilis or gonorrhea.

You may not donate at all if you have AIDS, a positive HIV test, some blood diseases, or epilepsy; OR if you have chronic lung, liver, or heart disease; OR if you have had hepatitis; OR if you have spent a total of three months in the United Kingdom between 1980 and 1996.

Donating Blood for Your Own Use (Autologous) and Directed Donations
Your physician can help you determine how best to supply your blood needs. In addition to receiving blood from the blood bank, two other options are available for consideration:

• donating blood for your own future use; or,
• arranging for directed donations from individuals of your choosing.

A doctor’s order and a donation appointment is required for either of these options. If you wish to donate blood for your own use, or have other individuals donate specifically for you, call Michigan Community Blood Centers Donor Services at (269) 408-1540 (or toll-free 1-866-MIBLOOD, menu option “Southwest Michigan”) for complete details and instructions.

Autologous Donation
Giving blood for your own future use is called autologous (aw-TAH-luh-gus) donation. Your physician may suggest, or you may wish, to do this before you have an elective surgery or other procedures where you may require a transfusion. Having your own blood available reduces the risk of infections or other side effects that may result from receiving another person’s blood.

For autologous donations, your physician must send a special request to Michigan Community Blood Centers. The request must include details such as the date of the surgery or other procedure, as well as how much blood needs to be donated. Donations of blood for your own use must be made one to six weeks before your scheduled surgery date. In compliance with federal regulations, autologous donations must be destroyed if you do not use them. Donor Services staff at Michigan Community Blood Centers can provide complete details and instructions: call (269) 408-1540 (or toll-free 1-866-MIBLOOD, menu option “Southwest Michigan”).

Directed Donation
Giving blood to be used by a specific individual is called directed donation. This allows the person who needs blood to select specific individual blood donors.

For directed donation your physician must send a special request to Michigan Community Blood Centers, specifying blood type, how many units are to be collected, and the date of the surgery or procedure when the blood is to be used. You are responsible for asking the special people you would like to donate blood for you. They must have blood types compatible with yours and know their blood type before donating.

It is best to choose individuals who have donated blood before or whose behaviors do not put them at risk for infectious disease, which can be transmitted through blood. Blood must be donated three days to five weeks before the date it is expected to be used. Blood given by directed donors will be used to care for other patients if you do not need it. Donor Services staff at Michigan Community Blood Centers can provide complete details and instructions: call (269) 408-1540 (or toll-free 1-866-MIBLOOD, menu option “Southwest Michigan”).

About Michigan Community Blood Centers
Michigan Community Blood Centers is an independent nonprofit blood bank that currently provides the entire blood supply for local hospitals in four major regions in Michigan. With resources and a scope of services that compare with the most capable blood banks in the nation, Michigan Community Blood Centers still places top priority on serving local hospitals.

After meeting all local needs, Michigan Community Blood Centers regularly shares blood with other communities across the state and nation, and also supports military and disaster-related blood needs. As a member of America’s Blood Centers, Michigan Community Blood Centers belongs to a nationwide network of community blood banks in 45 states and Quebec, Canada that together represent the largest provider of blood and blood-related services in North America, collecting 50% of the US blood supply and 100% of the Quebec's blood supply.

Blood Drive Calendar
Blood drives are held at each of Lakeland’s three hospitals every eight weeks. The drives are from 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Appointments are preferred and can be made by calling the phone numbers listed below for each location.

Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph: call the volunteer office at 269-985-4548.

Lakeland Community Hospital, Niles: call the volunteer office at 269-687-1433.

Lakeland Specialty Hospital, Berrien Center: call the volunteer office at 269-473-3335.