Blood donors can now help more patients at one time when they "give the gift of life." Michigan Blood is now offering the apheresis platelet procedure at its Traverse City donor center (2575 Aero Park Drive). This procedure differs in that rather than collecting whole blood and then separating the needed components – red and white cells, plasma and platelets – in the lab, only the needed blood components are collected and the remaining blood is returned to the donor. The TC location has already been utilizing the procedure for red cells and plasma. In the case of the platelet donation, it is possible to collect the amount of platelets found in 5-15 pints of whole blood. The procedure is done by appointment only, 866.642.5663.