Donor Information

Designated Donation

Patient Information

Designated donation is a programme where family and friends with a compatible blood group donate blood for you. Designated donation may be your choice as an alternative to the use of volunteer donor blood.

Some studies have shown that this may be no safer than using the normal blood supply. There are risks present when using blood from a relative, such as the possibility of Graft versus Host disease.

Designated donations are only suitable for elective procedures and not for emergencies. Sufficient warning is required prior to transfusion for the Transfusion Service to obtain, test and process the required number of units. A minimum of 2 days (Monday - Friday) is needed for all the testing and processing to be satisfactorily and safely completed. It is not advisable for women of childbearing age to receive a donation from their husband or his relatives, as this could lead to the development of blood group antibodies which could affect the safety of future pregnancies.

Please note: The Transfusion Service will accept only designated donors who fulfill all the health criteria expected of our volunteer donors. The Transfusion Service may not deviate from the strict rules and regulations that are required in handling units donated by volunteer donors. Please discuss this procedure with your doctor before making your decision. He/She must decide whether you will in fact require blood at your operation and if so, how many units will be needed.

Designated donors may not be accepted if they have:

  • a history of Hepatitis (Jaundice).
  • visited a malaria area recently.
  • had diarrhoea or vomiting in the past 30 days.
  • had dental work three days before donation.
  • a current minor infection (with or without antibiotic therapy).
  • a history of sexually transmitted disease.
  • changed their sexual partner in the last 6 months.
  • any serious medical condition.

Before your selected donors donate

  • we will need a sample of your blood to check your blood group and to test for blood group
    antibodies.
  • ask them to contact the Autologous Unit for an appointment.
  • the request forms must be completed by yourself and your doctor and faxed or posted to the
    sister in charge of the Autologous Unit.

N.B. Please ask your donors to contact the Autologous Unit at 021-507-6320 (Monday to Friday) for an appointment and additional information.

Costs

The charges are slightly higher than when receiving blood from regular volunteer donors in order to cover additional blood group tests and administrative costs. In neither case is there a charge for the blood donated itself - only for expenses entailed in the donation process, crossmatch and delivery.

Additional charges may be incurred for:

  • the irradiation of units donated by relatives.
  • specifically requested transport outside our area.
  • blood group tests on you and your donors.

All charges are billed to you whether you receive the blood or not, since the costs incurred remain the same. We do not routinely put unused designated blood units back into our volunteer blood supply unless the donor is a regular volunteer donor who has donated within the last 12 months.

Graft versus Host Disease

In recent years several patients have died after receiving blood from a close relative because of a rare but preventable disease called Graft versus Host disease. It occurs when the white blood cells from a blood-related donor interfere with the recipient's immune system, skin and liver, leading to severe infection and in some cases death. From a recent report, the risk may be as high as one in 400 from blood received from a close relative such as a parent, child, sibling or grandparent.

Prevention

To prevent this disease it is necessary to irradiate the blood before it is transfused to the patient. This inactivates the white cells in the blood and stops them from interfering with the recipient's white cells. Irradiation does not adversely affect the red cells or make the blood harmful to the recipient in any way.

We strongly recommend that all blood donated by any blood relative be irradiated. The Transfusion Service will arrange for the irradiation at Groote Schuur Hospital. A surcharge will be added to the price of designated donation to cover the irradiation costs.

Patients who receive blood from non-related donors are not at risk of Graft versus Host disease because there are enough differences between patient and donor blood to prevent the disease from occurring.

Download Designated Donation Tariff Sheet
 Download Designated Donation Brochure

 

 
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