The blood that is collected during a routine blood donation drive is called Whole Blood. Ideally after collection Whole Blood should be centrifuged and split into its components. By doing so one is able to ensure that a single unit of Whole Blood can benefit many persons.

Platelets, the component responsible for clotting of blood, have a life of only 5 days after collection. Therefore, more intensive planning is required to ensure that Platelets are made available to those in need

The layperson is not aware that Platelets can be made available in the form of Random Donor Platelets (RDPs) or Single Donor Platelets. The Platelets that are normally available with blood banks are in the form of Random Donor Platelets. These are obtained after separation of components from blood that is collected in routine blood donation drives.

Single Donors Platelets are collected from a donor through a process called Apheresis. Members of the Lifesavers Club form the Core Registry of donors who respond to calls for Platelet Donors.