Blood Types: What Do They Mean?

    Facts About O- Blood

    Ever heard of the "universal donor blood type"? Then you already know a little about the critical importance of O negative blood! Buckle up, though, because there's even more that makes this blood type special.

    O negative blood type superhero illustration

    We call O negative blood donors "universal donors" for a reason — their blood save lives in emergencies, trauma care, neonatal treatments and more every day. How? Because unlike other blood types, O negative blood can be transfused to anyone!

    O negative is one of the rarer primary blood types, and because of its universal compatibility, O negative blood donors are incredibly important to maintaining a safe blood supply in our hospitals. If you're O negative and have given blood with us before, thank you! And if you haven't yet, please consider doing so. Your donation makes a massive difference in our communities.

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    Our Recommendation for O- Donors

    We encourage our O negative donors to give whole blood. Additionally, given the invaluable nature of their blood, making a Power Red donation is the best way for our O negative donors to give back and save lives.

    But what's Power Red?

    With the assistance of our high-powered apheresis machines located at any of our donation centers, our Power Red donors are able to safely give double the red cells they'd be able to through traditional whole blood donation. Plus, the machine rehydrates you throughout the donation. Pretty cool!

    Learn How to Power Up with Power Red

    Make a Power Red Donation for Maximum Rewards!

    With each lifesaving donation you make at OBI, you receive points redeemable in our Donor Rewards Store. Accrue enough and you'll be able to cash them in for exclusive T-shirts, fleece jackets, earrings and more with an eGift Card to Mission Market!

    Here's a breakdown of the points you'll receive for each type of donation:

    • Power Red: 1500

    • Platelets: 1000

    • Platelet Plasma RBC: 1000

    • Platelet RBC: 1000

    • Whole Blood: 750

    • Platelet Plasma: 500

    • Plasma: 100

    Key Facts About O Negative Blood

    Join Forces with Our 2024 Superhero Donor!

    • Clayton Grubbs, OBI's Superhero Donor of 2024
    • Clayton Grubbs, OBI's Superhero Donor of 2024, gets blood donation tattoo

      We're not sure when Clayton Grubbs hit superhero status. It could have been after his 170th donation, or maybe it was after he got a tattoo commemorating his lifelong commitment to giving blood.

      Whenever it happened, all we know is that Clayton is a real-life superhero... and a Group O blood donor!

      Want to cape up with Clayton? Book your appointment below!

      Schedule to Donate Clayton's Story

      More on the Other Primary Blood Types

      Want to learn about what makes other blood types unique? Visit our blood types hub or use the drop-down bar below for a deeper look at a specific blood type.