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About Blood

Explore Blood Types

You and your blood type are special! There are different ways to give that help you harness the power of your blood type to help patients the most.

  • A+

    34% of the population

    In Rhode Island, 125,000 are able to give each year. Only about 17,000 do.

    Red CellsPlasma
    You can give to people with:A+ AB+A+ A- O+ O-
    You can only receive from:A+ A- O+ O-A+ A- AB+ AB-

    Every blood type is special in some way. If you are A+, please consider giving the following donation types to have the greatest impact for patients in need:

    1. Platelets
    2. Plasma (with platelet)
    3. Whole Blood
  • B+

    9% Of The Population

    In Rhode Island, 33,000 Are Able To Give Each Year. Only About 4,500 Do.

    Red CellsPlasma
    You can give to people with:B+ AB+B+ B- O+ O-
    You can only receive from:B+ B- O+ O-B+ B- AB+ AB-

    Every blood type is special in some way. If you are B+, consider giving the following donation types to have the greatest impact for patients in need:

    1. Platelets
    2. Plasma (with platelet)
    3. Whole Blood
  • AB+

    3% Of The Population

    In Rhode Island, 11,100 Are Able To Give Each Year. Only About 1,500 Do.

    Red CellsPlasma
    You can give to people with:AB+*All Blood Types
    You can only receive from:All Blood TypesAB+ AB-

    *Your plasma can be given to all recipients.

    Every blood type is special in some way. If you are AB+, please consider giving the following donation types to have the greatest impact for patients in need:

    1. Platelets
    2. Plasma
    3. Whole Blood
  • O+

    38% Of The Population

    In Rhode Island, 140,600 Are Able To Give Each Year. Only About 19,000 Do.

    Red CellsPlasma
    You can give to people with:A+ B+ AB+ O+O+ O-
    You can only receive from:O+ O-All Blood Types

    Every blood type is special in some way. If you are O+, consider giving the following donation types to have the greatest impact for patients in need:

    1. Double Red Cell
    2. Whole Blood
  • A-

    6% Of The Population

    In Rhode Island, 22,000 Are Able To Give Each Year. Only About 3,000 Do.

    Red CellsPlasma
    You can give to people with:A+ A- AB+ AB-A+ A- O- O+
    You can only receive from:A- O-A+ A- AB+ AB-

    Every blood type is special in some way. If you are A-, please consider giving the following donation types to have the greatest impact for patients in need:

    1. Double Red Cell
    2. Whole Blood
  • B-

    2% Of The Population

    In Rhode Island, 7,400 Are Able To Give Each Year. Only About 1,000 Do.

    Red CellsPlasma
    You can give to people with:B+ B- AB+ AB-B+ B- O+ O-
    You can only receive from:B- O-B+ B- AB+ AB-

    Every blood type is special in some way. If you are B-, consider giving the following donation types to have the greatest impact for patients in need:

    1. Double Red Cell
    2. Whole Blood
  • AB-

    1% Of The Population

    In Rhode Island, 3,700 Are Able To Give Each Year. Only About 500 Do.

    Red CellsPlasma
    You can give to people with:AB+ AB-All Blood Types*
    You can only receive from:A- B- AB- O-AB+ AB-

    *Your plasma can be given to all recipients.

    Every blood type is special in some way. If you are AB-, please consider giving the following donation types to have the greatest impact for patients in need:

    1. Platelets
    2. Plasma
    3. Whole Blood
  • O-

    7% Of The Population

    In Rhode Island, 25,900 Are Able To Give Each Year. Only About 3,500 Do.

    You are the universal red blood cell donor! It's critical to have O- red blood cells available and on hand for patients at all times. Yours is the only blood type that can be given to patients in crisis when there is not enough time to determine their blood type and potential cross matches. If you are ever in need of a red cell transfusion, it can only come from another O- donor.

    Red CellsPlasma
    You can give to people with:All Blood Types*O+ O-
    You can only receive from:O-All Blood Types*

    *Your red cells can be given to all recipients.

    Because you are O-, please consider giving the following donation types to have the greatest impact for patients in need:

    1. Double Red Cell
    2. Whole Blood

Learn About Parts of Blood

A whole blood donation is separated into three parts (red cells, platelets and plasma) and given to patients based on their medical needs. You can also give just the part of blood patients need the most based on YOUR blood type! It's called an apheresis, or automated blood donation.