Frequently Asked Questions About Donating with Canventa

Please bring a valid U.S. government-issued ID (such as a driver’s license or passport) with your full name, signature and photograph.

Appointment times range between 30 minutes and 4 hours, depending on the donation type. For new and returning donor screening appointments, the appointment time is around 30 minutes. For bone marrow donations, the appointment time is between 30-60 minutes. For Leukapheresis donations, the appointment duration is approximately 4 hours. At times, a whole blood donation will take place in conjunction with another donation.

Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to your appointments.

We recommend you arrive at your appointment 10-15 minutes early. In the event that you’re running late, please call 510-495-0232 or email us so that we can accommodate you as best as possible.

Potential donors receive a $20 gift card as a thank you for learning about our program when they come in for their IDS appointment. If you successfully complete your IDS appointment, you will become an enrolled donor in our program and will be compensated for future donations.

Compensation depends on the type of donation and the amount of time needed to perform the collection.

In general, completed white cell (leukapheresis) donations are compensated $350, and completed bone marrow donations are compensated $450. Compensation for whole blood donations varies depending on the volume of whole blood collected. You will receive compensation for your time and effort in the form of a check at the end of your donation appointment.

Already a donor with us? We offer a referral program for our donors. Earn a $25 Amazon gift card for every friend who completes a donation with us. All they need to do is give your name (first and last) when they come in to donate. Refer friends and start earning today!

Yes, all donations are completely anonymous. All personal identifiers are removed after the sample has been collected to ensure anonymity. The protection of your personal information is very important to Canventa and every precaution is taken to ensure this information is not supplied to anyone outside of the Donor Center.

The donation interval/frequency at which you can donate depends on the type of donation. Repeat leukapheresis donors are eligible for repeat donations once every 5 weeks while bone marrow donors are eligible for repeat donations once every 8 weeks. Whole blood donation frequency varies depending on the volume of whole blood collected.

Your red blood cells regenerate in 4 to 6 week and white blood cells are typically regenerated within a few hours of leukapheresis. Bone marrow is regenerated in 4 to 6 weeks.

Although Canventa currently only accepts US citizens, we are working to make our donor program more inclusive. We do send 1099’s to donors who earn more than $600 in one year by donating with us, but we recognize that non-U.S. citizens pay taxes, too. We hope to be able to expand the donor program to include resident aliens within the next year.

In order to donate, you must be between 18 and 55 years old, weigh at least 120 lbs, and be in excellent health. To enroll in our donation program, please schedule your initial Donor Screening appointment at our donation center. At this appointment, we will ask you some background information about your health, and to have blood drawn for an infectious disease screening (IDS). Following the results of your IDS appointment, please contact our Donor Center staff via phone or email in about a week to schedule your first donation appointment. Learn more about these steps here.

You are not eligible for this program if you have the following: 

• Are not a U.S. citizen
• Are under 120 lbs
• Autoimmune disease (e.g., eczema, Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis)
• History of seizures or MS
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes (type 1 or 2)
• Thyroid issues
• BMI (body mass index) over 40
• History of cancer (including leukemia)
• Heart, lung, kidney, or liver problems
• Currently (or recently) pregnant, or nursing
• Blood-borne or sexually-transmitted disease (e.g., hepatitis B or C, HIV, syphilis)

Donating blood and bone marrow for transfusions and therapeutic use can make an immediate impact on saving a patient’s life. All of the blood collections at Canventa are for research use only and not for direct-to-patient applications. You can learn more about donating blood for recipient use at the American Red Cross. For information on cord blood and bone marrow transplants, visit Be The Match, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program.

We ask that tattoos are fully healed before you come in. But once healed, you can donate with Canventa.

Your sexual orientation does not prevent you from being a donor with Canventa.

So long as you are healthy, living in the UK does not preclude you from donating with us.

The criteria for donating for transfusion or transplantation can be different than for research use. For example, donors who have recently had a tattoo or piercing are still eligible for donation at Canventa, although we recommend waiting until the area has healed before donating.

Unfortunately, we can no longer accept donors who are taking oral or injectable HIV prevention medications. These medications are highly effective, which may interfere with the accuracy of HIV testing and potentially impact research that relies on our products.

We ask that you are not under the influence of any substances when you come into our facility, but a recent history of marijuana use does not disqualify you from donating.

Travel does not preclude you from donating with us.

Unfortunately, no, you would not be eligible to donate. Our chief concern is your safety, and we want to ensure a safe donation experience for all donors. Donating with high blood pressure could be potentially hazardous for your health.