Red Cross Blood Donation after treatment

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GG2
GG2 Member Posts: 30
edited September 2015 in Life After Breast Cancer

I have been a regular blood donor to the Red Cross for many years and I'm trying to find out if I will ever be eligible to donate again.  I seem to get different answers depending on whom I ask. My chemo was Taxotere and Carboplatin, which completed in January. Herceptin treatments will end next month.  I understand that a one year deferral is typical, but is it permanent? I'd appreciate any input. Thanks

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  • odie16
    odie16 Member Posts: 1,882
    edited September 2014

    They permantly removed me from their donor list when they last called for a donation and I explained my diagnosis. I used to be a frequent donor too. 

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited September 2014

    I am a former blood banker - worked in Transfusion  Services in the same hospital that I had my BMX in. Some organizations will allow you to donate at a point after your treatment has ended, often this info is on their website, but it varies from area to area. I would like for you to consider not donating again though. Having worked with the patients who receive blood in a hospital setting I have seen who they are and why they are receiving blood. They are often critically ill, having extensive surgery, anemic, cancer patients, elderly and frail, etc. You may have completed treatment but can you say for sure that you are cancer free? You have received toxic chemicals that have circulated throughout your body. If your newborn needed blood would you want that blood to come from a cancer patient who has received chemo? There are many ways to support the Red Cross besides donating your blood - give your time or your money, but think twice about your blood.

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited September 2014

    On the Red Cross website it says that it depends, but there is no blanket ban on cancer survivors except for blood cancer.  You definitely have to wit for 12 months post treatment.  I'd give it a try a year after you complete treatment and see what happens,  by that time the chemo is gone from your system.  I probably had cancer the last time that I donated, but I didn't know it, I've never heard of anyone getting cancer from a blood donation.  

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited September 2014

    SpecialK, thank you for a most informative post.  After reading this I will not donate blood--all I have to do is think about the recipients as you described.  Again, thank you.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited September 2014

    cowgirl - you are welcome. I feel strongly about this subject and I'm glad my post resonated with you.

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  • BrooksideVT
    BrooksideVT Member Posts: 2,211
    edited September 2014


    I also decided not to donate again, but have been wondering whether they don't also collect blood to be used for research?  If I could be certain my blood would not be given to a patient, I'd be happy to donate.  I'm thinking my age alone (69) raises the risk level for nasty stuff to be circulating around and around my system, and would be best not shared with another human.

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited September 2015

    Just going to bump this up a bit, as I'd wanted to resume donating blood (bone graft during back surgery a year to the day ago) and only just now found out that the Red Cross has a 12-month ban on people who've undergone cancer treatment. I'll have to look into how straight DCIS affects my eligibility.

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