Frequently Asked Questions | Fountain

Frequently Asked Questions

We’re here to answer your questions

What are platelets and why are they important?

Platelets are tiny blood cells that help your body form clots to both prevent and stop bleeding. They gather at the site of an injury, sticking to the lining of the injured blood vessel and forming a platform for blood clotting to occur.

Unlike red blood cells that can be stored for up to 42 days, platelets have a shelf life of just 5-7 days. This short shelf life means a constant supply of platelet donations is needed to meet patient and research demands.

When you donate platelets, you're giving only platelets while your red cells and plasma are returned to you. This specialized process, called apheresis, allows you to donate more platelets than would be available in a whole blood donation.

How does Fountain use my platelets?

Fountain is transforming platelet donation by building a community of committed, health-conscious donors to support a future where no patient experiences delayed transfusion care due to platelet shortages. While our current platelet collections support high-impact biomedical research groups, our vision is to help build a sustainable, donor-driven supply of platelets for both research and clinical use. In the near future, we aim to expand our model to address the critical shortage of platelets for transfusion at U.S. hospitals.

Will I be rewarded for participating?

Yes, Fountain rewards our regular platelet donors with meaningful, health-focused perks like monthly access to top-tier gyms, wellness studios, and digital health memberships. We partner with local gyms and wellness studios to establish monthly membership reward programs for our loyal platelet donors in exchange for regular platelet donations.

What is the initial screening process to become a Fountain platelet donor?

First, we will schedule an initial screening appointment to verify your eligibility. This appointment generally takes around 30 minutes from start to finish.

With your informed consent, our team will review any medications you are taking as well as your health history to ensure that you’re a good candidate and that it’s safe for you to donate your platelets.

Then, we will perform a basic vitals check, including checking your blood pressure and temperature.

Finally, with your informed consent, a certified phlebotomist on our team will perform a whole blood sample draw. We will send this blood sample to our laboratory testing partner to determine your ABO type and to run a Complete Blood Count (CBC) blood test and confirm your hemoglobin levels and platelet counts make you a good candidate for platelet donation.

We will share with you the results of both your basic vitals screening and CBC blood test to review with your primary care provider.

After confirming your eligibility, we will invite you to schedule your first platelet donation!

How often can I donate?

You may be eligible to donate up to 24x a year, with at least a 10-day interval between every donation. We recommend our eligible, loyal donors establish a habit of donating every 2 to 4 weeks.

Where can I find more details about eligibility?

You can find a link to the education materials we provide to everyone who participates here, https://education.joinfountain.health