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Need for blood donations in the Commonwealth grows during Summer

Blood donor at Kentucky Blood Center
Kentucky Blood Center
/
Submitted Photo
Blood donor at Kentucky Blood Center

Summertime means more people in the Commonwealth are outside and that also more accidents and injuries. This is one reason organizations like the Kentucky Blood Center are calling for blood donations that could save lives.

Eric Lindsey is a spokesman with the blood center. He said using mobile units makes it easier for both the blood banks and donors.

“We do about two thousand, what we call mobile drives a year. We take our bus out to a place of business or worship or a community center or we’re taking some vans out and setting up in the center. Those are still incredibly important.”

The pandemic has hurt their donation numbers hard. He said they need all types of blood. The Kentucky Blood Center is especially low on all negative blood types. Lindsey said for those on the fence about giving, it is a very simple process.

“From the time you walk in the door until the time you leave at one of our drives is really only 30-45 minutes. A good portion of that is filling out the screening information, getting checked in, making sure you’re hydrated. The actual blood donation part of it only takes about 8-12 minutes.”

Local blood centers and drives can be found at the Kentucky Blood Center websitekybloodcenter.org.

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Stan Ingold is WEKU's News Director. He has worked in public broadcasting for 18 years, starting at Morehead State Public Radio before spending the past 10 years at Alabama Public Radio. Stan has been honored with numerous journalism awards for his public radio reporting.
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