Preparing for Blood Donation with the American Red Cross

Attorney Bill Voss owns The Voss Law Firm, PC, in The Woodlands, Texas. Outside his work as an attorney, Bill Voss supports charitable organizations such as the American Red Cross. 

The American Red Cross is an international nonprofit organization that provides an array of humanitarian and emergency services. In addition to offering lifesaving medical training opportunities and responding to both natural and manmade disasters around the world, the American Red Cross accepts year-round blood donations at numerous locations.

The blood donation process begins with at-home preparation. Start eating meals that are high in iron one to two weeks ahead of the donation, and stay hydrated on the day you go in to donate blood. Wear loose-fitting clothes to your appointment, both for comfort and to make it easier for medical professionals to draw blood.

Prior to drawing blood, provide Red Cross workers with a list of all prescription and over-the-counter medications you have recently taken, along with identification. At this point, you simply need to relax and wait for a medical professional to initiate the blood donation process.