BANGOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER)-- The Bangor Civic Center was a busy place during the sixth annual Chill 'n Grill American Red Cross blood drive. There were two different ways for people donate blood, the traditional way or another way called double red cell donation.
Patti Lindemann said she regularly donates blood, but this is the first time that she will do a double red cell donation.
"They told me that there is more of a need for this and that actually the person who receives the donor blood actually benefits more from getting the same double unit from the same donor," Lindemann said.
While Lindemann is donating blood, she is connected to a double red cell machine. The Director of Maine Operations for the American Red Cross Ellen Russell said this type of donation allows the donor to keep their blood plasma.
"We take blood out just like a regular whole blood donation. But there's an automated separating machine that can extract the red cells from a donors whole blood. And we're able to keep that and then we give back to the donor the plasma and some saline solution," Russell said.
According to Russell, this type of donation can provide two units of red blood cells meaning two people can be helped from one donor. Russell said the American Cross is always looking for double red cell donors, but there are certain blood types that's needed more than others.
"We're looking for people with negative blood types and O-positive to be those types of technology donors," Russell said.
Lindemann said she now prefers doing the double red cell donation to the usual blood donation.
"It's actually from what I understand, and my own experience this is probably easier than the other donation," Lindemann said.
Russell said double red cell donors have to wait four months before they can donate again. After those four months are up, Lindemann plans on donating again.
NEWS CENTER