LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky Blood Center is asking Kentuckians to donate before the new year after seasonal and weather factors have caused massive blood supply shortages.
The universal blood type, o-negative, is currently in high demand at the Kentucky Blood Center in Lexington.
The center is encouraging people to help save nearly 3 Kentuckians’ lives with just a pint of blood.
Vice president of external relations, Mandy Brajueha, said only 30% of its expected donors and staff could help or donate over the Christmas holiday weekend. Plus, several of its other locations around the state closed for inclement weather as well.
“Couple that with the fact that hospitals don’t let up they continue to treat a patient over holidays and we came back out of the holiday on Monday with a pretty low blood supply and critically low levels of o-negative blood right now,” Brajueha says. “We’re pushing for folks to get out here this week and help us rebuild the blood supply,”
That supply can help serve over 70 hospitals around the region.
Ken Sharp is among the regular donors that continue to make donating his priority after losing his niece, who was 16 years old. He was only 5 years older at the time and has held the memory closely through his efforts.
Sharp now continues to donate in her honor, and said she was one of the first to receive major open heart surgery at the University of Kentucky hospital.
“She had an enlarged heart with a prosthetic valve and said that’s the only way to save her life. So they brought her up here for that, and I remember us walking up and down the hallway and she said she was scared and I said, ‘This is the only way to get it fixed,’” Sharp recalled.
Ahead of the new year, Brajueha says what better way to spend the week off is there than by making life-changing and healthy choices?
“I think a lot of people are off work this week and so it is a good time for folks to come out. Give us about 45 minutes of your time. In addition, we are getting close to the new year, and people are making new year’s resolutions and healthy things to do for themselves,” Brajueha explained.
Within hours of donating, the center notifies donors of how their donation potentially helped another life.
The Kentucky Blood Center is offering appointments for individuals at its mobile drives and donor centers around central Kentucky. To learn more, visit the kybloodcenter.org.