How do you apply and prepare for donating blood?
A step-by-step guide covering the whole process, from booking a slot at a Red Crescent blood donation point to resting afterwards.
Short answer
Use "Book Appointment" on kanver.org or the Kizilay Blood Donation app to pick the nearest donation centre and reserve a slot. On the day, bring photo ID, do not arrive on an empty stomach, and drink plenty of water. At the centre fill in the Donor Questionnaire Form, see the doctor, and if you are cleared, donate and take the refreshments offered in the rest area.
What you need
Step by step
Check your eligibility first
Read the donor requirements in the "Blood Donation" section of kanver.org. Age, weight, past illness, pregnancy, tattoos, dental work and medication can all trigger a waiting period. If anything is unclear, call the 168 Kizilay information line, though the final call belongs to the doctor at the centre.
Book an appointment
Go to kanver.org and press "Book Appointment", or install the Kizilay Blood Donation mobile app. After you choose province and district, both fixed donation centres and mobile team locations are listed. Pick a point and time window, confirm with your national ID number and phone number, and you will get a confirmation SMS.
Prepare before you donate
In the days before, drink plenty of water and keep a regular sleep schedule. Never arrive on an empty stomach: eat a light, low-fat meal and avoid fatty food. Skip alcohol, and if you smoke, try not to have a cigarette right before the donation.
Fill in the form at the centre
Bring your ID to the donation point and take your place at the registration desk. You will be handed the Donor Questionnaire Form with questions about medical history, travel, medication and risk behaviour. Answer all of them fully and honestly; the form protects both you and the patient who receives the blood.
See the doctor and take the pre-tests
You are taken into the interview room with your completed form. The doctor checks your blood pressure and pulse, measures haemoglobin from a fingertip sample, and goes through your answers with you one by one. If you are cleared, you move to the donation chair; if not, you are told why and when you can come back.
Give the donation
Lie back on the chair, roll up your sleeve and tell the staff member which arm you prefer. Squeezing the small ball you are handed in a steady rhythm helps the blood flow. Call staff straight away if you feel dizzy, sweaty or nauseous, and after the needle comes out keep your arm raised without bending it.
Rest and take the refreshments
Do not stand up as soon as the donation ends; stay seated in the rest area for as long as staff tell you to. Take water, ayran or fruit juice with a plain cake or biscuit from the refreshment counter and finish it. Before you leave, collect your donor card and donation certificate if one is issued.
Take it easy for the rest of the day
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid heavy exercise or lifting. Keep the dressing on your arm for as long as staff advise, and stay away from hot showers and saunas that day. Call the 168 Kizilay information line if you get swelling, heavy bruising at the needle site or persistent dizziness.
Tips
Watch out
Skimming the Donor Questionnaire Form or hiding a detail puts the patient who receives your blood directly at risk. If you would rather not say something out loud in the interview room, write it down for the doctor or step away from donating; and if something occurs to you after the donation, call the centre and ask for the blood not to be used.
Frequently asked questions
+Can I donate blood without an appointment?
Yes, you can walk into fixed donation centres and mobile points without booking. An appointment only shortens your waiting time.
+I do not know my blood type. Is that a problem?
No. Your blood type is determined in the laboratory after donation and recorded on your donor card, so you do not need to know it beforehand.
+Should I come on an empty stomach?
Quite the opposite, donation is not done on an empty stomach. Eating something light and low in fat and drinking plenty of water lowers the risk of dizziness.
+I had a tooth extracted or got a tattoo. Can I still donate?
These cases carry a set waiting period. Confirm the length through the donor requirements on kanver.org or the 168 line; the doctor at the centre makes the final decision.
+I take medication. Will that stop me donating?
Not every medicine is a barrier; the doctor decides based on the active ingredient. Bring your medicine boxes and show them during the interview.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 13 Eylül 2026. tell us. Process, websites and the 168 helpline refer to the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay); details differ in other countries.
This content is for information only; for official procedures the relevant institution’s current announcements take precedence. Details: disclaimer.