Blood supplies in Kentucky are running low and to ensure those in need have the vital resource, the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the Hopkinsville Rotary Club in October.
Beth Lancaster from the regional blood center appeared at Tuesday’s Rotary Club meeting where she spotlighted the upcoming blood drive and what the center does.
When people think about blood donations, Lancaster says they often think about the Red Cross. Lancaster says blood donated to the Red Cross goes to larger cities that require a high volume, but when blood is needed in more rural areas of Kentucky it often comes from organizations like the regional blood center.
The regional blood center is responsible for providing blood in Breckinridge, Caldwell, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Hancock, Hopkins, Lyon, Muhlenberg, Ohio, McLean and Trigg Counties. Within the organization’s coverage region, Lancaster says they are solely responsible for maintaining blood for six hospitals and three air evac stations.
For those interested in donating, they must be at least 16 years old with parental consent; must weigh at least 115 pounds; provide a list medication they are taking and are able to donate every 56 days.
Those who want to donate blood may have to wait for a certain period of time if they have recently traveled out of the country or have gotten piercings or tattoos.
Once blood is donated, Lancaster says it is broken down into red blood cells, platelets and plasma which can help people living with a wide range of medical conditions.
The upcoming blood drive is set for October 15 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center at 1902 South Virginia St. All donors will receive a t-shirt and for every pint of blood collected, the center will donate $5 to the Rotary Club.