The Kentucky Blood Center is holding its 36th annual Big Blue Crush blood drive this week.
The yearly event is organized as a friendly competition with the MEDIC Regional Blood Center in Tennessee, playing off the rivalry between fans of Kentucky and Tennessee athletics. It’s a way for the two centers to make sure blood is available during the holiday season.
Kentucky Blood Center representative Eric Lindsey says the feeling of competition is one of many motivators to help with a downturn in donations since 2019.
“To be frank, some folks, this may be the only time of the year they donate, and it's rooted in that love for Kentucky athletics and wanting to beat Tennessee in all things,” Lindsey said.
The drive is also meant to help with a downturn of donations blood centers have seen since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Now, we'll say, in the last year or so, we've been encouraged to see our numbers starting to inch their way back up to pre-pandemic levels,” Lindsey said. “But it's still not what it was prior to 2020.”
Information on where to find donor centers, how to schedule an appointment and to check if you’re eligible to give blood, is available at Kentucky Blood Center’s website.
