LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Blood Center is calling for folks to roll up their sleeves to help save lives during this holiday season.

For the past three years, Hunter Nighbert has come into the blood center to donate blood every three months. Nighbert says he has seen how blood donations have impacted other lives.

What You Need To Know

  • Blood is needed the most during the holidays due to higher risk of trauma

  • The Kentucky Blood Center serves 70 hospitals throughout the commonwealth and in Kentuckiana

  • The Blood Center must see at least 400 donors each day to maintain a healthy blood supply for the hospitals they serve

  • Donating one pint of blood can save up to three lives
  • The youngest you can donate is 16 years old with parents’ permission

“It’s made a tremendous difference in their life and close friends and family’s life. And it’s just the right thing to do to kind of help out, you know, where we can. And it doesn’t cost you anything,” said Nighbert.

Nighbert says the little needle pain is worth it to provide that ongoing support.

“Not just when, you know, when the world comes crashing down around us in our communities. God forbid that happen. But so it’s really just really something consistent and easy that you can do,” said Nighbert.

Kentucky Blood Center Vice President of External Relations Mandy Brajuha says they see a dip of blood donations during the holidays but often see an increase in transfusions.

“There are, you know, more people traveling, more car accidents, unforeseen situations and people that need surgery, that might need blood transfusions. One trauma could take 100 units of blood off our shelves in a heartbeat,” said Brajuha.

The Kentucky Blood Center serves 70 hospitals throughout the commonwealth and in Kentuckiana. To maintain a healthy blood supply for the hospitals, the center’s goal is to see 400 donors each day.

“We’d like to have about a three-day blood supply on ourselves at all times, which means that our hospitals are fully stocked, and we have enough blood to get us through three days of refilling those hospitals,” said Brajuha.

By donating one pint of blood, you can save up to three lives.

“This is something that can actually, you know, not just change the trajectory of one person’s life, but really all those people around those people and, you know, no need to take any of that lightly,” said Nighbert.

Both Nighbert and Brajuha encourage others to do their part and donate blood during this holiday season. The Kentucky Blood Center encourages donors to make an appointment online and come in with an ID. The youngest you can donate is 16 years old with parents’ permission.

The Kentucky Blood Center is offering incentives for people who donate blood. Donors will receive their choice of a holiday shirt or two movie tickets.

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