The San Diego Blood Bank is asking you to Make a Difference in the lives of others by donating blood. You are the key to making a difference. And all we ask is that you donate blood one more time each year. So, if you normally donate once a year, a second visit could help save twice the lives. If you now donate twice; how about three times? Think of the difference you can make with just one more blood donation. That’s the difference in life.

We created the Donor Difference program to help donors realize the impact they can make with just one more donation. In order to meet the needs of area hospital patients, the San Diego Blood Bank must collect 400 pints of blood each day. You can Make a Difference in the lives of patients receiving blood by simply donating one more time each year.

The new program also allows us to provide more meaningful awards and benefits for our donors.

Each donor must join the program. The official start date is August 1, 2006. Any donor who gives blood after that date is eligible to join. You can sign up during your next donation.

If you've donated since August 1, but didn’t sign up, you may still join the program and receive points and Life Level credits for your last donation as long as it's within the 56 day window before your next eligibility date. Once you become eligible again, you must wait until your next donation to join the program. To join the program after your donation, call us at 1-800-4MY-SDBB.

As a way of thanking members of the program, we are now offering specific benefits and points to those frequent donors based on their level of achievement.

By joining this program, the only thing you’re agreeing to is that you will donate one additional time in the next 12 months.

We only require that you join the program so that we can track your personal donation information and provide your exclusive benefits, including your Wellness Profile and access to the online store.

You will only receive the benefits if you join the program.

Through the Donor Difference program, donors will earn more benefits each time they donate. These are called Life Levels. Each Life Level has specific benefits attached to it. For instance, when a donor reaches Life Level One after their first whole blood donation, they earn access to their personal donation 1information and Wellness Profile on mySDBB, a secure online site that allows you to keep track of your donations, eligibility dates and health information, such as cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Life Levels Two, Three and Four all have unique benefits. For a complete list of benefits, see the Program Levels page.

Different types of donations, receive different points.

• Whole blood and automated (platelet, plasma and combos) donors receive 100 points for each donation.
• Double red-cell donors receive 200 points for each donation.

Since double red cell donors have to wait 16 weeks between each donation, they don’t have as many opportunities to donate as whole blood and other automated donors. As a result, double red cell donors receive 200 points at their first donation, and Life Level Two status. They also receive 25 bonus points for reaching Life Level Two. They now have enough points to redeem an item on the online store.

Each successful plasma or platelet procedure will earn you 100 points and will count as one credit in determining your Life Level.

In addition to earning points for each donation, donors also receive bonus points for reaching Life Levels Two, Three and Four.

• Life Level Two members are awarded 25 Bonus Points.
• Life Level Three members receive 50 Bonus Points.
• Life Level Four members receive 75 Bonus Points.
• If you remain at Life Level Four, you will continue to earn 75 bonus points with each donation (as long as you continue to donate four times in each 12-month period).

Example 1: whole blood donor
Bob donated whole blood on August 2, 2006 and joined the Donor Difference program. He was awarded 100 points for his whole blood donation and one life level credit, earning him Life Level One status.

A few months later, Bob returned for another whole blood donation, at which time he received another 100 points, a second life level credit, plus 25 bonus points for reaching Life Level Two. Bob now has a total of 225 points.

Bob returns for his third whole blood donation, receives the standard 100 points, his third life level credit, achieves Life Level Three status and earns 50 bonus points. He now has 375 points total.

Bob realizes that with one more visit in this 12-month period, he will reach Life Level Four, so he returns for a fourth donation. Bob is awarded 100 points for his whole blood donation, his fourth life level credit and 75 bonus points for reaching Life Level Four, giving him a grand total of 550 points.

Bob will continue to receive 75 bonus points for each subsequent donation as long as he remains at Life Level Four status (continues to donate four times a year).

Example 2: double red and whole blood donor
Janet donated double red cells on August 17, 2006 and joined the Donor Difference program. Because double red cell donors receive 200 points and two life level credits, Janet automatically achieves Life Level Two status and immediately earns 25 bonus points.

Janet must wait 16 weeks before she is eligible to donate again. When she returns, she makes a whole blood donation. She is awarded the standard 100 points for whole blood and her third life level credit, bumping her up one level to Life Level Three and earning her the 50 Life Level Three bonus points. She now has a total of 375 points.

Janet reaches the 12-month anniversary of her enrollment without making a third donation. She finished the year at Life Level Three, so she will begin the following year at that life level. She will continue to receive the Life Level Three 50 bonus points with each donation that year, until she surpasses Life Level Three on her fourth donation in that 12-month period, at which point she’ll become a Life Level Four member and earn the 75 bonus points for that level.

Donors receive award credits toward their Life Levels with each donation. Whole blood and automated donors receive:

• one credit after their first donation in a 12-month period.
• two credits after their second donation in a 12-month period.
• three credits after their third donation in 12 months.
• four credits after their fourth donation in 12 months.

You must accrue one credit to reach Life Level One, two credits for Life Level Two, three credits for Life Level Three and four credits for Life Level Four.

The most credits you can earn in a 12-month period is four, however you continue to earn points with each donation.

August 1, 2006. All Donor Difference members will start earning points per donation after this date. Whole blood and automated donors (platelets, plasma) will receive 100 points per donation. Double red cell donors will receive 200 points per donation. Once a donor reaches Life Level Two status, they will begin earning additional bonus points.

You will not receive points for past donations that you've made with us prior to August 1, 2006. Everyone who joins the Donor Difference program will start accruing points from that point forward. We appreciate your past donations and hope you accepted one of our T-shirts or other donor appreciation items.

Donor Difference members can still track their total lifetime gallon levels online at mySDBB under Personal Donation History. The number of gallons you've donated with the San Diego Blood Bank will be listed under the Gallon Tracker heading.

If you are temporarily deferred, we do not award points until a donor returns to complete the donation process.

If you are temporarily deferred for low iron, we ask that you eat a good meal and return for another donation. After your successful donation, you will receive your donation points.

A donor will receive points for that donation if a needle was inserted in their arm... whether blood was drawn or not.

These points are one of the ways that we thank you for saving lives by donating blood. We appreciate that you might not wish to use them for yourself and if you don't you can donate them back to the blood bank, but you can't transfer them to another person.

The points expire after 24 months of inactivity.

Yes. You may donate your points back to San Diego Blood Bank. You may select the Donate Points Back option on the online store, or you may call us at 1-800-4MY-SDBB. Donating your points back allows the San Diego Blood Bank, a not-for-profit organization, to save money on program costs and services - yet another way to make a difference in life.

The new Donor Difference membership card is taking the place of our previous donor ID cards. The new cards are higher quality, providing your donor ID number, blood type and membership anniversary date.

You will receive your Donor Difference membership card within a week after donating.

We ask that you wait for your card to arrive in the mail. By that time, your personal donation information will be available for you to access on mySDBB. You must enter your donor ID to access that information.

Before providing personal and private information like blood type, cholesterol levels and eligibility information, we require donors to enter their donor ID number. It allows us to verify that we are matching the right data with the right donor. It's for our donors' protection. Please keep your Donor Difference membership card in your wallet, so you may access this helpful information at your convenience.

To simply view items on the online store, go to www.sandiegobloodbank.org and click on Life Saver Store. You may see the items, however you cannot redeem your points here.

To redeem your points, you must first log in to your personal profile. To access your profile, go www.sandiegobloodbank.org and click on mySDBB Personal Donation Information. If you're a first time user and haven't created a profile, you must follow the steps to do so. You will then be able to access the online store. Your points will be displayed at the top of the store web page. To redeem your points for an item, simply click on the item and follow the steps.

If you've never been to mySDBB before, you will need to create a profile and establish a new password.

If you don't have a computer, but would like to order something from our online store, you can call our customer service line and we'll assist you by creating your profile online. We can provide descriptions of the items and send you a mini-catalog. Once you decide on the item, call us at 1-800-4MY-SDBB and we'll place your order.

You can see how many donation points you've accrued by viewing your personal donation history at mySDBB.org or by clicking on the mySDBB link on www.sandiegobloodbank.org. If you've already created a profile on MYSDBB, simply log in to view your donation history. If you're a first time user, you must first create a profile. Under My Profile, click on Create a Profile and fill out the form. You will then be able to access your donation history and online store points.

The program is based on your donation anniversary. If you join the program on August 13, 2006, your subsequent donations must take place before August 13, 2007 in order to receive that year's benefit rewards. Your anniversary month will be indicated on your Donor Difference Membership Card.

The level that you finish the current donation year is the level at which you begin the following year. You will remain at that level for the next 12-month cycle, unless you move up a level based on your donations. If you fall short of your level during the following year, you will begin year three at the corresponding level.

You can Make a Difference in Life by donating at any of our neighborhood donor centers in National City, San Diego, El Cajon, Vista and Escondido, at any bloodmobile location or by calling the San Diego Blood Bank at 1-800-4MY-SDBB.

Currently, only blood donors can sign-up for the Donor Difference. However, there will be a program for volunteers and recipients coming soon.

Everyone can make a difference in life by donating their time. We are in the process of formalizing our Volunteer Difference program that will offer special benefits to those who give their time to the San Diego Blood Bank. To find out about immediate opportunities, please contact our Volunteer Department at 619-400-8202.

mySDBB is an online service that we offer to donors to help them keep track of their donations, eligibility dates and health information such as cholesterol levels. It's also the way that you access some of your Donor Difference benefits such as shopping in the Life Saver on-line store and on-line appointment scheduling. You may go directly to mysdbb.org or you can click on the mySDBB Personal Donation Information link of the front page of www.sandiegobloodbank.org.

You must create a profile on mysdbb.org. You can go to that site directly or link to it from our main web site at www.sandiegobloodbank.org (click on mySDBB Personal Donation Information). If you are a first time user, click on Create a Profile.

The Donor Difference program is a separate partnership between you and the San Diego Blood Bank in which you commit to donating blood one additional time each year. In order to access your personal Wellness Profile and Donation History, you must create a profile on mySDBB and be a member of the Donor Difference program. For more information about the program, call 1-800-4MY-SDBB.

We do not provide personal donation history or Wellness Profile information over the phone, however we do offer you access to a computer at each of our donor centers. A staff member will be happy to show you how to access your personal information.

Donors will need to register personally but we would appreciate it if you want to encourage others to do so.

You have 56 days from your last donation (if after August 1, 2006) to sign up for the program and still receive points for that donation. Once you become eligible to donate again, you must wait to sign up after your next donation.

It takes about a week for us to enter points for donations. If you haven't seen your points by then, please call us back and let us know.

We are phasing this program out. However, if you've already pledged to give three times this year and you're about to reach your goal, you may still claim your T-shirt in the Community Relations Department on the 4th floor of the Upas Street Center or by calling 1-800-4MY-SDBB. The VIP Club asks donors to pledge to give blood three times in a year. The Donor Difference program is asking donors to give one more time than they're currently doing. So, if you're currently a member of the VIP Club, we respectfully ask that you visit us four times this year.

You can still track the number of gallons you have given by accessing your Personal Donation Information available on mySDBB.org or by calling 1-800-4MY-SDBB. For those donors who are about to reach their gallon goals, they may still claim their key chains, pins and hats (while supplies last) in the Community Relations Department on the 4th floor of the Upas Street Center or by calling 1-800-4MY-SDBB.

We still consider those donors who give multiple times every year Super Donors. Instead of making these donors wait until they've accumulated 12 donations before they get an award, Difference in Life members will be able to redeem their points on the online store after two donations. You may also choose to bank your points for a greater selection of items like wind shirts, jackets, leather bags and MP3 players. If you are about to hit your 12th donation this year and would like to claim the Super Donor sweatshirt, please visit the Community Relations Department on the 4th floor of the Upas Street Center or call 1-800-4MY-SDBB.

Yes, the Family Blood Plan will become one of the benefits in the Donor Difference Program. It will be available to all donors in Life Level One, after their first donation.

By participating in the Donor Difference program, you have granted the San Diego Blood Bank the permission to use your name in any of the blood bank's Recognition Programs. These programs are generated with the intention of thanking you and encouraging others to become volunteer donors. Should you wish to not participate in these forms of recognition, you can opt out by calling 1-800-4MY-SDBB.

It will be mailed to you after you make your first donation following August 1, 2006.

We offer our Donor Difference members lots of great items on our Life Saver Store, including colored T-shirts. The shirts won't be awarded at the time of your donation anymore. Instead, we are awarding points for each donation that donors can then redeem for whatever item they choose on the store. You must accrue 225 points (the equivalent of two whole blood donations in 12 months) to be able to redeem an item on the Life Saver Store. T-shirts are available at the 225 point level.

We are trying to build our donors' loyalty by offering them a wider variety of benefits and awards. By creating a points system and an online store, we are providing more diverse award options for our very diverse donor group. Previously, if someone donated several times a year, they received a T-shirt every time. Now, they have access to a variety of items.

We provide your non-fasting total blood cholesterol count in your Wellness Profile. For adults, the National Cholesterol Education Program recommends the following classification for fasting total blood cholesterol count: less than 200 is Desirable, 200 to 239 is Borderline, and greater than or equal to 240 is considered High.

If your value is greater than 200, your doctor may want to repeat this test in his office as a fasting test or perform other tests to measure individual types of cholesterol such as LDL and HDL.

Additional information for the public concerning total cholesterol levels is available from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

You can join the Donor Difference program during your next donation or by calling our Difference in Life Customer Service line at 1-800-4MY-SDBB within 56 days of your last donation (as long as it took place after August 1, 2006).