2. True or False: Platelets are the part of your blood that carry oxygen.

3. True or False: Apheresis (pronounced a-fur-ee-sis) is the method used to collect only one part of blood from a donor.

4. True or False: One platelet donation by apheresis can yield up to six times the amount of platelets found in one whole blood donation.

5. True or False: You cannot get AIDS or any other disease from donating platelets.

6. True or False: Platelet transfusions are lifesaving therapy for patients undergoing bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy treatment for cancer, and open heart surgery.

7. True or False: Donated platelets can be used years later.

8. True or False: Platelet donors must wait 6 months before donating again.

9. True or False: Donating platelets takes longer than donating whole blood.

10. True or False: A bone marrow transplant patient may need up to 200 platelet transfusions.

1. TRUE. Just 1 pint of your blood can help save the lives of several patients.

2. FALSE. Platelets are tiny cells that promote blood clotting and prevent uncontrolled bleeding. A healthy person makes platelets in his or her bone marrow. Unfortunately, many severally ill patients -- a child having a bone marrow transplant or an adult undergoing chemotherapy for cancer -- do not have enough platelets to prevent severe bleeding.

3. TRUE. Apheresis is the method used to collect one blood product from your blood. Here's how it works. You sit in a comfortable chair next to the blood separating machine. You feel needle sticks when one needle is inserted in each arm. Your blood then flows through sterile, disposable collection tubing in the machine. The machine separates and collects your platelets and immediately returns the remaining blood to you. No more than 1 pint of your blood leaves your body at a time. And your body replaces the donated platelets within 24 hours.

4. TRUE. One platelet donor does the work of up to six whole blood donors. The platelets from between four and six whole blood donors must be pooled to obtain enough platelets for one platelet transfusion.

5. TRUE. Modern technology prevents the transmission of disease during donation. Your blood stays inside the sterile, disposable collection tubing at all times. The needle and tubing are used once and then thrown away.

6. TRUE. Many effective medical treatments are dependent on platelet transfusions. About 40 percent of these patients are under age 20. When you donate platelets, you are helping to save the lives of people who have barely had time to begin living.

7. FALSE. Donated platelets must be transfused within 5 days while they are still strong enough to clot blood.

8. FALSE. You can give platelets by apheresis every 2 to 4 weeks.

9. TRUE. Donating platelets by apheresis takes a little longer -- about 2 hours. You can make an appointment at a convenient time to fit your schedule and often are able to watch TV or a movie while you donate.

10. TRUE. These people need numerous platelet transfusions until their new bone marrow starts to make platelets for them. With only whole blood donations to rely on, these platelet transfusions for bone marrow transplants patients would be almost impossible because from 800 to 1,600 whole blood donations would be needed. Your platelet donations are truly a gift of life.

To order a fresh copy of this quiz, call the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at: (301) 251-1222 and request NIH Publication No. 92-3300.