CINCINNATI, Oh. — Following the holidays and recent winter weather, blood donation centers in northern Kentucky and Cincinnati are urging people to come in and donate if they can.

What You Need To Know

  • On Monday, January 6, snow and ice closed down all seven Hoxworth neighborhood donor centers and all blood drives 

  • Hoxworth is the sole blood provider for all hospitals in the Cincinnati northern Kentucky region

  • Hoxworth said the current need is not critical, but they want to avoid the supply getting dangerously low

  • January is National Blood Donor Month

Johnny Arguedas says it’s not too bad. He can sit back and relax, or even get a little work done. He tries to come into the Hoxworth Blood Center central office every two weeks.

“There’s always a need for donating blood. I started donating blood in high school when they had a blood drive. Since there’s always a need, I always felt this is a way for me to give back and help Hoxworth and anybody who needs some blood,” Arguedas said.

There’s a big need, especially now. Hoxworth is the sole blood provider for all hospitals in the Cincinnati northern Kentucky region. On Monday, Jan. 6, snow and ice closed down all seven neighborhood donor centers and all blood drives.

“We normally collect 450 donations a day. So immediately puts us back in our inventory and it gets us all very anxious here, so what we are definitely doing is asking our donors if you can safely get out, we would love for you to come and please donate.” said Division Director of Marketing and Communications Jen Howell.

Howell said the current need is not critical, but they want to avoid the supply getting dangerously low. She said January, National Blood Donor Month, is normally a challenge to get people in, so they’re trying to raise awareness.

“Any car accidents, any traumas, anyone who’s giving birth right now or cancer patients here locally, that’s where your blood donation is going,” Howell said. “This is a way to serve. When people look for ways to serve, this is what they’re doing, is donating blood and volunteering their time.”

For full blood donations, people can expect to be there about an hour. For platelets, like Arguedas donates, it’s a little longer. Those go to most cancer patients.

“They said that they require that the most, so I like to contribute as much as I can,” Arguedas said. “It feels great. I know there’s always a need. Any little bit I can contribute, I appreciate.”

As for whole blood donations, people can do those every eight weeks. And if they do one at Hoxworth in January, they’ll walk out with some new joggers, a gift card and a big sense of pride.

Donors can schedule an appointment at Hoxworth by calling (513) 451-0910 or visiting its website. Others in Kentucky wanting to find a donor center can download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Related Stories