Collection

Every day, safe and quality blood products are administered to patients in the hospitals of Flanders and part of Brussels. Self-sufficiency is only possible through the efforts of thousands of volunteer donors who offer themselves at the more than 3,000 mobile blood collections organized each year or at one of the 14 donor centers that welcome blood donors, plasma donors and platelet donors alike.

Under these links you can find more information regarding the locations where donations are possible or about the course of a blood, plasma or platelet donation.

 

Blood donation

Donating blood can be done both at the mobile collections and at the donor centers. The donation of one bag full of blood can help several patients, as the full blood is fractionated and processed into three different fractions: erythrocyte concentrate, plasma and platelet concentrate.

Plasma donation

Donors who donate plasma come to a donor center. There are 14 donor centers spread across Flanders. Plasma derived from plasmapheresis can be processed into virus-inactivated plasma (VPVIM) or into stable end products via fractionation (gamma globulins, stable solution of plasma proteins (SOPP)).

Platelet donation

Platelet collection, like a plasma donation, is performed at a donor center. They are usually taken from a donor with blood type A or O, and donors must meet certain conditions. For example, their hemoglobin level and platelet count must be high enough.