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\nThe Kentucky Blood Center is sounding the alarm and urgently seeking donors since the critical blood shortage has left the organization unable to fully meet local hospital orders.<\/p>\n
\nThe Kentucky Blood Center is sounding the alarm and urgently seeking donors since the critical blood shortage has left the organization unable to fully meet local hospital orders.<\/p>\n
Kentucky Blood Center supplies blood to more than 70 hospitals across Central and Eastern Kentucky. The organization has reported a dangerous mismatch between supply and demand.<\/p>\n
Over the last week, blood transfusions at local hospitals spiked by 40%, and donation numbers have continued to nosedive for a second consecutive year.<\/p>\n
The shortage is particularly severe for blood types: O+ positive, O- negative, and A- negative. These groups represent more than 50% of the general population.<\/p>\n
O- negative is the universal blood type and can be safely transfused to anyone with an emergency, and O+ positive is the most common. Donors of these types are especially asked to take immediate action.<\/p>\n
Kentucky Blood Center operates eight donor centers across six Kentucky cities, and has more than 20 public mobile drives scheduled this week.<\/p>\n
Kentucky Blood Center Donor Centers:
\nLexington: Beaumont (3121 Beaumont Centre Cir.) & Andover (3130 Maple Leaf Dr.)
\nLouisville: Middletown (14002 Shelbyville Rd.) & Hillview (5406 Antle Dr.)
\nCorbin (Tri-County): 1466 W. Cumberland Gap Pkwy.
\nFrankfort: 363 Versailles Rd.
\nPikeville: 472 S. Mayo Trl.
\nSomerset: 10 Stonegate Centre<\/p>\n
For anyone interested in donating, whole blood donations typically take less than an hour from registration to recovery time.<\/p>\n
Eligible donors must be at least 17 years old (or 16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health, and bring a photo ID.<\/p>\n