Never Donated Blood? The Best Place in Colorado Makes it Easy

Donating blood is a way to be an anonymous superhero. The situation where someone needs blood is never a good one. It's pretty awesome to think less than an hour of your time could make the outcome of that situation a better one.

There is always a need for blood donation, but ever since the pandemic, there is a serious shortage as people's routines changed and other factors made regular donors stop giving.

Unless you have a real medical reason or a serious fear of needles, not dislike, but fear, I encourage you to donate blood at least once.

Lucky for Northern Colorado, one of the best places to donate blood is right here in Fort Collins. The UCHealth Garth Englund Blood Center in Fort Collins has very caring phlebotomists who make the blood donation process organized, minimally painful, and quick. Also, there are free snacks and swag.

Do You Know Your Blood Type?

Turns out 66% of Americans do not know their blood type, but guess what? When you donate blood, you find out your blood type.

Can You Donate Blood After Getting a Tattoo?

Yes. Yes, you can. The rules have changed in the last decade making it easier to give blood after getting a tattoo.

UC Health says "Most people can donate blood immediately after getting inked, as long as the tattoo was applied at a state-regulated entity that uses sterile needles and ink that is not reused. Colorado regulates tattoo parlors; only Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania do not. If you’ve gotten inked at a Colorado tattoo parlor, you can donate blood immediately."