Kentucky Blood Center unable to fully fill hospital orders
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Blood Center is currently unable to fill hospital orders at 100% because of low blood levels exacerbated by high transfusion rates and poor donor turnout. Donors in the community are urgently needed to ensure local patients have the lifesaving products they require.
Summer variables that historically put a strain on the blood supply are at a tipping point to start August. Transfusions at local hospitals are up 40% over the last week while donation numbers continue to underperform. KBC is in low supply of several blood types, including O+, O- and A-. Those blood types make up more than 50% of the population.
“Summer is always difficult on the blood supply because of summer vacations and the inability to collect in schools and colleges, but this trauma season has been particularly tough,” said Mandy Brajuha, VP of external relations. “The recent uptick in transfusions after months of slumping donations is impacting our ability to meet patient demands. We want to make sure that when a hospital needs blood for its patients, they have it. The only way we can do that is for people in our community to donate blood.”
Through Aug. 7, donations are down for a second straight year, creating an unsustainable disparity between patient need and supply. The inability to meet hospital orders puts local patients in danger. KBC supplies blood to more than 70 hospitals in Kentucky, and one in four people will need a blood transfusion in their lifetime for a variety of treatments, including trauma, diseases, cancer, mothers in childbirth, organ transplants and more.
KBC has locations across Central and Eastern Kentucky ready to receive donors this week. KBC has eight donor centers in six cities across Kentucky (Lexington, Louisville, Corbin, Frankfort, Pikeville and Somerset) and more than 20 public mobile drive opportunities are available this week. Donor centers are typically open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Specific donor center hour locations are available below and at kybloodcenter.org/donate/donor-center-locations. Mobile drives open to the public can be found at .kbc-donor.prod.forcytesp.com/.
Donors can visit those links, visit kybloodcenter.org or call 800.775.255 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome during this time of need. Whole blood donations take less than an hour from registration to refreshment.
All blood types are needed, but O-type donors are encouraged to take immediate action. O+ is the most common blood type and is given to patients more than any other group. O- is the universal blood type, meaning the red blood cells can be transfused to anyone.
Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health, show a photo I.D. and meet additional requirements. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome.
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Beaumont Donor Center Mon–Fri: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. |
Andover Donor Center Sat: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. |
1466 W. Cumberland Gap Pkwy. Corbin, Ky. 40701 Mon–Fri: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. |
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Middletown Donor Center Tue–Fri: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. |
Hillview Donor Center Sat: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. |
363 Versailles Rd. Frankfort, Ky. 40601 Mon–Fri: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. |
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472 S. Mayo Trl. Pikeville, Ky. 41501 Mon & Fri: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tue–Wed: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. |
10 Stonegate Centre (Stoplight 16A) Somerset, Ky. 42503 Mon–Fri: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. |
Mobile Drives Serving more than 90 counties |