Hey, Kids!

Welcome to KBC Kids on the Web!

Did you know that children are future blood donors?  And as a

future blood donor— you're a future hero!  

That's why it's important for you to know:

• Who Can Give Blood
• All About Blood
• Your Blood at Work
• How Much Blood Does it Take?
• School Assignment?

WHO CAN GIVE BLOOD

Anyone who is 17 years old or older and weighs at least 110 pounds can be a blood donor if they are in good health.

People donate either at one of Kentucky Blood Center's four donor centers (in Lexington, Somerset, Pikeville and Prestonsburg) or at one of the 1,400 mobile blood drives we hold each year across 59 counties in central and eastern Kentucky.

ALL ABOUT BLOOD

Blood Types

There are four main types of blood:

• Type A
• Type B
• Type AB
• Type O

Where Do You Fit?

• 45% are in Group O
• 40% are in Group A
• 10% are in Group B
• 5% are in Group AB

YOUR BLOOD AT WORK

Your blood is always at work.  It s-q-u-e-e-z-e-s into every corner of your body to do these jobs:

• Remove waste materials produced by cells in your body
• Distribute special chemicals, called hormones, which coordinate the body's growth and development
• Fight harmful bacteria and viruses,
• Carry oxygen and nutrients to millions of cells which are the tiny building blocks of the body
• Spread warmth, and
• Seal wounds and repair injuries.

     Meet the work force!

     Blood is made up of five major parts:

• Platelets are the construction workers in yourlblood.  They throw themselves into wounds, grab onto each other using a sticky substance called fibrin, and make seal (or a scab) to stop bleeding and keep germs out. 

• Red blood cells are constantly loading and unloading.  It takes less than a second for a red blood cell to unload its cargo of oxygen and pick up a load of carbon dioxide waste in its place.             

• Plasma is the liquid part of your blood and makes up about 55 percent of the volumn of your blood. It transports and delivers blood cells, nutrients, and important messengers called hormones throughout the body.

• Stem cells in your bones give birth to new red blood cells.  In the second it takes to blink your eyes, more than a million new cells are born and old cells are replaced.

• White blood cells can leave the blood vessels that transport them.  They move freely among the body's cells seeking out and destroying germs. These germ foghters are essential to keeping you healthy.

HOW MUCH BLOOD DOES IT TAKE?

Did you know that it takes nearly 300 pints of blood every day to ensure an adequate supply for hospital patients in central and eastern Kentucky? There is no substitute for human blood. It cannot be produced in a laboratory. It must be donated by other humans.

Every three seconds, someone, somewhere in Kentucky needs blood, and you never know when you or someone you love might be the next one who needs it.

CLICK HERE

PLAY FUN BLOOD DONATION GAMES

SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT?

Do you have a homework assignment, school project or report?  Why not use blood as the subject? Blood keeps the body alive through the circulatory system. All the parts of the blood have a purpose that is fascinating.

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS

Prepare a "Did You Know?" display using the following resources:

56 Facts About Blood

Highlights of Transfusion Medicine History

Facts About Blood and Blood Banking

My Blood,Your Blood

Your Blood at Work

Draw pictures of red cells, plasma and platelets. 

Describe the blood donation process, including:

• How old do you have to be to donate blood?
• How much do you have to weigh to give blood?
• What is included in the donor screening process?
• How often can you donate whole blood?

Some Resources:

How to Give Blood:  Blood Donor Guidelines

The Donation Process

Donate Blood

Make a display or prepare a report about the National Marrow Donor Program.  Visit their web site at:  www.marrow.org for some great resources.