LEXINGTON, Ky. – A cyclical decline in blood donations could impact the blood supply for Kentucky hospitals and their patients unless there is an increase over the next month in blood donations. The Kentucky Blood Center, which provides blood to 67 Kentucky hospitals and clinics, is launching an end-of-summer blitz to ensure the blood supply remains adequate.
According to blood center projections, transfusions will outpace blood donations in August by nearly 1,400 units. As a result, by Aug., the blood supply will be nearly half of the level desired to ensure a full supply for all hospitals.
“The Kentucky Blood Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring a safe, adequate blood supply for Kentuckians, recognizes the late summer decline in blood donations is a repetitive cycle nationally and we are striving to end that cycle locally,” said Jim Tinker, spokesperson for the Kentucky Blood Center. “We’ve been fortunate and thankful to see an actual increase in blood donations up to this point in the summer. However, we foresee a swift decline in donations based on our historic records, national trends and a slow rate of donor appointments emerging.
Their multi-tier plan will utilize national research data and proven practices to increase public awareness and first-time donations. America’s Blood Centers, the national association for independent blood banks, is emphasizing a series of actions to increase donor turn out and frequency.
In order to maintain a robust blood supply at the Lexington-based blood bank and on site at the individual hospitals it serves, there must be approximately 300 blood donors per day in the 62 counties that comprise Central and Eastern Kentucky.
The measures the Kentucky Blood Center will be enacting include increased public awareness in general, targeted campaigns to eligible individuals who have never donated and heightened efforts to bring back donors who only give once per year. The blood center’s rapid response plan includes:
- Gas cards for all mobile blood drive donors July 28-Aug. 10.
- Kings Island tickets for all blood donors at the blood centers in Lexington, Somerset and Pikeville on Saturday, Aug. 4.
- Direct mail campaigns to non-donors during August.
- A new blood donation competition in conjunction with the Sept. 15 University of Kentucky/University of Louisville football game from Aug. 13–Sept. 13.
- Increased news media outreach regarding the immediate need for blood donations as well as deeper background understanding.
- Increased advertising.
That the blood supply drops in the summer has become a stressful and repetitive reality in Kentucky and elsewhere. High school and college blood drives, which provide nearly 20% of blood donations, are on hiatus. Further, many businesses reduce their blood drives because of vacations; summer vacations overall also affect the general donor turnout.
‘“The bottom line is that we need more blood donors and we need those who donate to give more frequently,” Tinker said. “Blood is medicine. Blood keeps people alive and we need it 365 days a year.”
Those wanting to donate blood can call 1-800-775-2522 or visit kybloodcenter.org to find the nearest blood donation opportunity and schedule an appointment to give. Anyone age 17 or older, weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health can be a blood donor.