For the full story and more photos, go to www.keepmecurrent.com.

INTRODUCTION:

Earle Harvey swears you can’t feel a thing.

“I’ve had mosquito bites that hurt worse,” said the South Portland resident.

Harvey, 77, has been donating blood for almost 60 years, since he enlisted in the Army at 18.

“I did it to get out of work. They used to give you time off to donate blood,” said Harvey. “But it’s habit for me now. It’s not costing anything, and someone is getting use out of it.”

Since the Red Cross center on Forest Avenue in Portland opened in 1974, Harvey, now retired, has been volunteering. However, just like his fellow volunteers, he has never seen what’s happened to his blood once it goes from his body to the bag.

“You give it, and it’s gone,” he said. “I always wondered where it goes.”

Since 1970, the Red Cross has celebrated January as National Blood Donation month. With special promotions like free Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and movie passes, not to mention the promise of an “almost” pain-free way to save a life, the organization holds between 25 and 40 blood drives every day to get the 1,400 pints of blood needed to supply hospitals in the U.S.

But the process, although rewarding for volunteers, leaves donors like Harvey wondering. What, exactly, happens to their blood after it has been donated?

The incredible (blood) journey:

CLOSE UP RICH, ABOVE: Rich Elliott, of Topsham, relaxes as a nurse draws blood from his arm during a Blood Drive on Jan. 9 in Portland.

MARK TALKS TO BOX: Once the blood has been collected from the donor, it is labeled with a tracking number, sealed and packed by a Mobile Unit Assistant, like Mark McDermott, to be sent to Dedham, Mass., where the American Red Cross New England labs are located.

MOISES OLIVARES: After the blood reaches Dedham, it is unpacked by a lab technician. A vial of blood from each bag is removed and sent to another lab in Philadelphia, where it is tested for diseases such as HIV or hepatitus. However, while it is being tested, lab technicians, like Moises Olivares, continue to process the blood.

JORGE RIOS: White cells, which are not needed for blood transfusions, are filtered out. The filtration takes place while the blood is in a refrigerator, which remains between 1 and 6 degrees Celsius. Jorge Rios, medical director of the Northeast Divison of the Red Cross said most of the blood comes in around 9 p.m., after organizations have finished their drives.

EVIL SUBMITTED BLOOD PHOTO: Once the white blood cells are filtered out, the blood is placed in a centrifuge, where it spins and separates into three components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Each component is bagged separately, and each has a different shelf life. Red blood cells can last 42 days if kept refrigerated. Plasma is usable up to a year if kept frozen, and platelets, which have to be kept at room temperature, are good for five days.

LABEL 2: After the three blood components are separated and determined to be free of disease, they are labeled with the blood type and a tracking number.

WHOLE LOTTA BLOOD, IN THE BOX, WIDE WHOLE BLOOD: The bags of platelets, red blood cells, and plasma are then shipped to hospitals, which submit orders daily or weekly depending on the need. Although the amount of units shipped depends on the order, each box is packed with 18 pounds of ice. Distribution Technician John Simbliaris said the Dedham lab ships between 200 and 300 orders daily. From start to finish, it takes five days for donated blood to be fully processed.

WIDE WHOLE BLOOD, RED BLOOD CELLS: Rios said Maine is habitually “generous” with their blood donation. Although the Red Cross of Maine has a policy in place that allows all blood donated in Maine to be sent back to Maine, the state often gives more blood than it needs. The overflow is then sent to other states.

“The bigger the city, the more difficult it is to get a blood donor,” Rios said. Maine residents “are very generous, and we could not survive without them.”

MUGSHOTS/Why do you donate?

MUG VICTORIA: Victoria Day, of Baldwin, began donating blood when her father was diagnosed with cancer. “It saves so many lives. It’s just a good thing to do,” said Baldwin.

LISA CARON: “I began donating blood because a bunch of coworkers were going to a drive,” said Arundel resident Lisa Caron. “And they convinced me to go. There were three of us, and it turned out I was the only one eligible to donate.”

MUG RICHARD: “My direct incentive was the free pound of coffee,” said Richard Stephen of Old Orchard Beach. (Dunkin’ Donuts is rewarding all donors with a free pound of coffee for every pint they donate.) “But I’ve probably donated 10 times before this… I think it’s a patriotic thing to do.”

MUG KATHY: Kathy Cabana, of South Portland, is a self-titled “dedicated donor.” As a nurse, Cabana sees first-hand how much of a difference blood donation makes for patients. “It’s amazing how much it helps,” Cabana said.

CLOSE UP RICH, ABOVE: Rich Elliott has been donating blood for almost 25 years. “I began when I was in the Air Force,” Elliott said. “I’ve known a lot of people who needed blood during surgery.”

INTERESTING FACTS (use at will/available space):

The blood you donate is broken down and distributed into three components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma.

Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s organs and tissue. Used most often for surgical and trauma patients.

Platelets are used to help blood clotting, and are generally used to treat cancer patients.

Plasma carries blood cells, nutrients, enzymes, and can be used to maintain blood pressure. Often are used to treat burn or shock victims.

Only 5 percent of the U.S. population donates blood.

It is possible to donate just platelets, and the human body is capable of donating platelets every three days.

The average adult body contains 10 to 12 pints of blood.

AB negative is the rarest type of blood. O positive is the most common.

Could you be a donor? (This is a partial list. For a complete eligibility list, visit www.givelife.org.)

You must be 17 years of age, in good health and weigh at least 110 pounds.

You can donate if:

• You have diabetes

• You have arthritis

• You are on birth control pills

• You have high blood pressure

You cannot donate if:

• You have flu symptoms

• You’ve traveled in certain countries outside the U.S.

• You are pregnant