Many years ago, hospitals were responsible for blood supplies. The common practice for collecting blood for transfusions was to collect donations from patients' family and friends or even from the hospital's own staff. In some cases, family members were required to recruit donors before their loved ones could have surgery.

In 1968, a group of concerned Lexington doctors decided blood should be collected, tested and distributed from a central location to give every hospital an equal chance to get needed blood without worrying if there would be enough to go around.

With underwriting from the Fayette County Medical Society (now the Lexington Medical Society), Central Kentucky Blood Center (CKBC) was born. The first CKBC donor was UK Football Coach John Ray, who gave blood when the center was located in the basement of the Perkins Pancake House on Limestone St. in Lexington. Some older donors remember fueling up on pancakes before going downstairs to donate blood.

Cramped for space in the late 70's, CKBC purchased the former Fayette County Health Department building on Waller Ave. and relocated the organization. An addition was added in 1987.

In March 2007, CKBC changed its name to Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) to better reflect its geographic service area, which now covers the entire eastern half of the state. KBC also opened a new Lexington Donor Center in Lexington's Beaumont Centre, closing the old Waller Ave. site, which had served the community for 28 years.

KBC is governed by a 20-person board. The president and president elect of the Lexington Medical Society serve on the board.
 

 

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