In partnership with IPST and FEPODABES, SRO regularly holds blood drives at its headquarters in the Palácio Landal. Blood is an essential resource for saving lives and is always in short supply. Join us in this cause.
Anyone aged between 18 and 65 who weighs 50 kg or more and leads a healthy lifestyle can apply to donate. At 17, it is possible to donate with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. A first donation after the age of 60, and donations between the ages of 65 and 70, are subject to medical assessment. Every donation is preceded by a clinical screening carried out by a health professional.
No. Registration takes place at the collection site itself. Just bring a valid photo ID, such as your Portuguese Citizen Card. EU citizens should also bring proof of address in Portugal, and all other nationals a valid residence permit.
No. Before giving blood, you should have breakfast or a snack and drink plenty of fluids. Just avoid eating a very heavy meal right before donating.
The whole process takes around 30 minutes on average, including registration, clinical screening, the donation itself and a light snack at the end.
There must be a minimum interval of 2 months between donations. Women can give blood up to 3 times in 12 months, and men up to 4 times.
Yes, it is safe. All the equipment used is sterile, disposable and used only once, so there is no chance of catching any disease from giving blood.
That's perfectly normal. Giving blood is a safe and almost painless process. To feel more at ease, drink about half a litre of water before donating and, during the collection, gently tense and relax some of the muscles in your legs or arms. The team will be with you throughout the whole process.
About 450 ml of blood is collected, which your body replaces naturally. Drink plenty of water and carry on with your normal routine. If you are planning a car journey of more than 100 km, rest for 6 hours before driving. Avoid risky sports or hobbies for the rest of the day.
In most cases, yes. Some professions require a break of at least 12 hours, such as public transport or heavy goods vehicle drivers, divers, people working on scaffolding or electrical installations, and air traffic controllers. Airline pilots should wait between 24 and 72 hours.
After getting a tattoo, you can apply to donate again after 4 months. Temporary body art, stencils and transfers do not prevent you from donating. For piercings, the screening team will tell you which waiting period applies.
Not while you have symptoms. You can apply to donate 15 days after you have recovered and stopped taking any medication. Between 1 May and 31 October, if you have had flu-like symptoms with a fever of unknown cause, you should wait 28 days.
Answers based on the frequently asked questions from Instituto Português do Sangue e da Transplantação, where you can see the full list. The final decision always rests with the clinical screening team.
