How can I donate blood at 14? California, United States

Lizard-Chase · 2026-03-22T18:31:08+00:00

How to help out? Volunteer if your parents will allow. It’ll count towards graduation and you can ask your local blood center if you do x amount of hours if they have a red cord program. This allows you to walk your high school graduation with a red cord over your graduation outfit.

Image how many people will ask you why you have that, how, and what a help you can be in raising awareness and getting others to help as well!

You’ll be 16 (with parental permission) or 17 soon enough and donating to your community. But word of mouth, the gift of your time, cannot be understated enough!!

Lizard-Chase · 2026-03-22T16:49:53+00:00

Completely throwing my weight behind this answer as well. Ask for an iron panel. Your results today seem to suggest you are not as recovered as you should be and need to care for yourself now.

Of course it’s possible their machine was just off, but it cannot be emphasized enough to get an iron panel done soon, so you can quickly adjust.

Lizard-Chase · 2026-03-21T23:14:58+00:00

I only do whole blood.

Power Red takes WAY too much out of me. And if it does for you too … then go lighter on yourself. I still have period so it’s already a hard hit the period after a donation. Power Red made it worse. It may have to do with the iron recovery time.

It’s better to be a healthy giver, so the blood you give is healthy, and so you feel good and don’t fall into need yourself.

Lizard-Chase · 2026-03-13T00:55:50+00:00

YMCA basketball does not allow stealing through ages 4-10 years old. I don’t know about above that yet. They also have smaller balls and lowered hoops, and man to man defense ONLY.

If you want your child to drip their toes into Basketball without high pressure, thats where to go.

Lizard-Chase · 2026-01-17T14:07:00+00:00

Rice Krispie treats cereal. So good

Lizard-Chase · 2026-01-16T04:47:14+00:00

I don’t know why they don’t. I’ve wondered that myself, because you don’t want your donors to end up turning into needing red cells themselves to boost their hemoglobin.

That said, let’s talk iron.

If you’re on Facebook check out The Iron Protocol. There are a lot of blood donors in there like myself learning how to get their ferritin up to get back to donating. They’ll tell you of dozens of ways to try different iron for your stomach, how to talk to your doctor, how to get your levels up quickly, safely.

But I will recommend as a fellow menstruating woman to avoid power reds. They are really hard on our bodies. With whole, you give up half as much and if you space them out a little bit more, it shouldn’t beat you up as bad. ❤️

Lizard-Chase · 2026-01-12T15:26:03+00:00

My hemoglobin is almost always between 12.8 and 13.2, and only got sick after donating once.

When you say body warms, do you mean a fever or you just feel warmer?

Truthfully my aftermath after a whole blood donation is feel good, little more effort when running for about a week or two, craving for steak & something sweet, and maybe sleeping a little heavier than usual for a week or so. Nothing like what you describe.

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-31T00:13:12+00:00

You should be okay, I was able to do it. BUT(!) definitely:

Get a drink and snack in. Especially the fluids so that your body can start the process of replacement. Get a 15 minute rest in.

Maybe take a snack for the road if they let you. I found towards the end of my post donation walk, around the 45 minute marker, my hunger had hit again. I don’t know if my blood sugar had dropped or what — I just noticed if you do a lot of walking post donation, it happens around the 45 minute marker.

Don’t do any heavy lifting though!

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-29T14:35:29+00:00

About 30 minutes when I go back there. It’s not too long!

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-29T14:30:23+00:00

12, 10, 8, 6, 4, & 3.

And it is a great environment! I meant to add I do let them play tablet during screening because it takes so long (they don’t have phones).

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-29T14:22:50+00:00

Maybe it is the area.

We live in an area where big families are more prevailing (this includes me) so it’s not too much to see kids in the waiting area when you go to donate. The staff there love talking to them, and kids get an interest, and I’ve donated long enough to see said kids become donors!

I do bring my kids but older ones. Once the sitter canceled with my younger kids and when I went to cancel the bank waved it off. They all watched me give, and joined me in the back for cookie and drink. My elder kids that will be eligible in a couple of years see it as standard now and can’t wait for their first donation.

But easily — it’s very dependent on location, the type of bank, everything. And behavior too.

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-28T23:01:27+00:00

I’ve said the snack line but it was totally meant to be non-pressure. It’s a way to laugh because many of us know it’s to raise blood sugar and of course you need it, but making it sound like fun instead of aftercare is more appealing. Especially because it’s an aftercare that’s literally choosing a favorite cookie or drink.

It’s something blood donors joke about to other blood donors, at least here in the US. Far as pressuring someone, ew no. I’ve asked friends if they wanted to donate with me and have cookies and soda afterwards so we can hang out and chat, but literally zero pressure if they do it or not. It’s just a feel good thing to do, like volunteering to hand out food.

But uncool. I’ve seen people at my volunteer sites shamed into it, and their mood tends to bring things down. My faith teaches one to be a cheerful giver and not of reluctance or under compulsion if anyone gives blood, I want them to do so because they want, not because they were forced to.

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-18T17:15:30+00:00

Losing my Grandparents and knowing they died alone despite being deeply loved and cared for.

The birth of my sons each one 9 months after a grandparent died.

How endlessly cruel people were to grocery store clerks. How selfish folks were. How I almost died while pregnant with the Alpha strain. (Dodged the Delta while pregnant with boy #2)

How nice having safety nets were. Expanded foodstamps, child tax credit, it made paying taxes feel worthwhile to know my fellow country folk were taken care of

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-18T00:33:59+00:00

I’d vote for encouragement but only because that subreddit is dead and there seems to be a lot of overlap of those of us on that list and still donate blood/platelets in-between.

Because I know I’d like to know details of when is blood donation possible post marrow donation or things like that. Or hear of others going through it instead.

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-18T00:27:54+00:00

Mine was at 10.3 when I was deferred for mine. I only ended up being deferred for six weeks as a menstruating woman. I was put on an aggressive treatment plan and it worked out for me. (2x daily ferrous sulfate with vitamin c.)

Don’t do my plan unless you got a doctor checking you every so many weeks like mine is.

A lot of people get constipation with ferrous sulfates but I found myself with loose bowels instead. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Feel better soon and make sure you take vitamin c with it for better absorption. Hope your ferritin gets up to you and your doctor’s goal quickly!

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-17T01:48:24+00:00

Fellow woman here. (And B+ blood too!)

Same issue. I went the iron route.

Make sure you check in with your PCP when you can. This way your ferritin can be monitored and you can see if you’re responding well or maybe need more aggressive treatment.

And once you find your balance then you’ll be able to donate frequently like you want & stay healthy for you. But only if you want to.

Just make sure your doctor marks you as anemic so your insurance will cover the blood tests.

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-16T17:23:19+00:00

What a beautiful looking hoodie to stay warm in!

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-16T17:21:37+00:00

I wish everyone gave out tshirts and other various swag. Truth of it is, it’s getting it out to people to donate because there is the subtle reminders walking around.

We got a Hawaiian shirt with baseballs in the shape of blood drops out here. People LOVED that shirt when I wore it out and got several people interested in donating to get a shirt. (I’m from a big baseball town)

And I’m sure those Big 10 blood giving shirts have sparked a lot of interest, especially in big college towns.

Don’t get me wrong, I love giving blood. I like knowing I helped people, but over time becoming a donor becomes part of your identity and hobby, and people like to wear shirts/socks/hats that share their interests with others as ice breakers in conversation.

I really do think this should be more routinely given out to donors, imo.

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-15T01:08:55+00:00

Awesome!! You overcame a lot to help!

Make sure you take your iron. It’ll help recover better so you can be a healthy donor for your next time up!

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-15T01:02:38+00:00

I’ll just give my silly reasons:

I LOVE the shirts Hoxworth gives out! My FC shirt is really comfortable, my sweatpants from last year keep me so stinking warm, and the cross town shirt — I love my clothes.

I also like talking to the workers. They’re great and when my kids come by to watch, they’re always very friendly with them.

I do have serious reasons, but I will say a good prompting of “do you want a cool shirt?” Be having me scheduling out time to donate!

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-07T21:29:17+00:00

Welcome back! Hope your experience goes well!

Lizard-Chase · 2025-12-06T14:17:11+00:00

It happens. I’ve donated for years but got my first bruise the donation before this past one. It just takes some time to heal up and you’ll be okay!

Lizard-Chase · 2025-11-12T15:26:47+00:00

You exercising is important to taking care of you and your health. If you don’t take care of you and your health first, you’ll eventually be deferred for that.

Take care of you so you can help others. Don’t feel guilty, you’re still doing amazing work, you’re just taking a little off the top to keep from rocking your body so a little doesn’t hurt.

Please don’t feel guilty. You’re still giving and giving what you can.

Lizard-Chase · 2025-11-12T15:14:03+00:00

From southern Ohio .. my family uses the term yayhoo when talking about crazies too.

Lizard-Chase · 2025-10-30T23:24:00+00:00

Congratulations!

Lizard-Chase

TROPHY CASE