I found it necessary to have several young donors in order to keep one beneficiary from growing any older.

The young donors went from office to office, where they were welcomed like grown-ups and given business cards.

Many of the young donors' parents are longtime political activists who know the rules.

"They know they need to cultivate the younger donor."

Ms. Baldwin said that because the center uses younger donors, women ages 21 to 33, the success rate is about 50 percent.

Buffy returns to the blood bank and speaks to the nurse, who admits that she gives the names of healthy young donors to Ken.

He had romanced a young donor, who was thinking seriously about the 50.

The decline in young, dead donors has had a disproportionate effect on quantity as well as quality.

"Not being able to realize the appreciation in value over time would make a big difference, especially to younger donors," he said.