The way things currently stand, no synthetic drugs or treatments are able to take the place of human blood or its derived labile blood products. Which makes blood an irreplaceable product.

Why give blood?

Because the way things currently stand, no medicine can take the place of human blood or its components. Which makes human blood an irreplaceable product to this very day. As such, each day, hundreds of patients or people who suffered an accident need a transfusion to stay alive and to convalesce. Which is why we need your generosity and your donations every single day! Red Blood Celles are kept at a temperature of 3 to 4°C for a duration of 42 days.

What is the blood donation used for?

Once the blood is collected from a donor, the various blood components, i.e. the , the and the , are separated, processed and prepared to be transported to hospitals as and when they need them.

Broken down into 3 blood products, your blood donation can help 3 people!

In which kind of situations are red blood cells transfused?

  • Accidents: in situations where the patient is haemorrhaging as a result of various kinds of accidents (road accidents, emergency situations, etc.).
  •  Surgical interventions or childbirth: after a surgical intervention or for certain childbirths.
  • For people who are anaemic or who are undergoing chemotherapy.
  • Genetic diseases: for patients suffering from certain genetic diseases that affect the red blood cells and who need blood transfusions throughout their entire lives. Example: sickle cell disease, major thalassemia, etc.

How does a blood donation work?

You can either attend a collection or go to a permanent blood collection centre. You will first be asked to complete a medical questionnaire. You will then be seen by a doctor for a (free) confidential medical interview to assess whether donating blood does not pose any risk to yourself or to the blood recipient, in consideration of:
o your current health status;
o your medical and surgical history;
o medicines you are on or have been on;
o travels you have undertaken;
o any risk behaviour.

Once the doctor has authorised your donation, you will be invited to make a blood donation. Depending on your blood volume, which is established in consideration of your weight and your height, we collect between 430ml and 470ml of blood.

Small tip: before you make your way to one of our collections, have a light meal and make sure you are well hydrated! 


On average, the actual blood donation takes around 10 minutes. On top of this you will obviously need to add the time for the pre-donation medical interview, as well as for the post-collection refreshment and rest. In all, the entire blood donation process takes approximately 45 minutes.


You may give a maximum of 4 blood donations per year (365 days) with at least 2 months between 2 donations.


You do not need to make an appointment to go out to donate blood at a mobile collection (some exceptions exist, check our canlendar). We will be happy to welcome you during the appointed opening hours. However, you do need to make an appointment to come out to give blood at one of our 16 permanent blood collection centres. You can make it directly on line via the "make an appointment" button, or by calling the center of your choice during its openig hours.


ARE YOU considering donating BLOOD?

Complete our online questionnaire or read up on the conditions and the contraindications before attending a collection!

Do the test


Do you have questions regarding the blood donation?

Consult our FAQ

Do you have questions?


Contact us at 0800 92 245 or send us a mail at


You can also consult our  « Donor guide » and « Le don de sang (French) » brochures;

