LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s time for Kentucky fans to roll up their sleeves and donate blood for the 18th annual Big Blue Slam. Kentucky Blood Center’s annual blood battle vs. LifeSouth Community Blood Center in Florida is next week, Jan. 26–30, at all KBC locations.

The friendly competition encourages blood donations in the winter months when weather and illness can hinder collections. Not yet at the halfway point of the winter season, the drive to fill the shelves with a healthy supply of blood is meant to counter the inevitable disruptions this time of the year have on collecting blood.

Kentucky donors have answered the challenge in recent years with four straight victories in the series, but the winner of the blood battle has been determined by less than 100 donors for six straight years, meaning every donor makes a difference. KBC leads LifeSouth 11–6 overall.

“When it comes to evaluating the blood supply in the winter, it’s not a matter of if, but when we’ll experience a disruption in collections,” said Mandy Brajuha, VP of external relations at KBC. “The key to maintaining a healthy supply for local patients is making sure blood is on the shelves in advance of the need. Proactive, intentional donation during a competition like this can play a major factor in the health of the winter blood supply. If we can beat our rivals in Florida in the process, it’s a win for everyone.”

Donors can give at any of KBC’s eight donor centers (located in Lexington, Louisville, Corbin, Frankfort, Pikeville and Somerset) or mobile drives throughout the week. Most KBC donor centers, which are listed below, are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during Big Blue Slam. Public mobile drives can be found at bit.ly/BigBlueSlam2026.

Donors can schedule an appointment at the links below, at kybloodcenter.org or call 800.775.2522. Appointments are highly encouraged during Big Blue Slam. Walk-ins will be accepted as space allows. 

All donors will receive a Big Blue Slam T-shirt as a thank you for saving local lives.

Blood products are essential for a wide range of treatments and needs, including traumas, cancers, diseases, surgeries, organ transplants and more. As the provider of blood to more than 70 hospitals in Kentucky, KBC meets the demand of local patients to ensure they have the lifesaving blood products they require. KBC is the exclusive blood provider for UK HealthCare, Baptist Health, CHI Saint Joseph, Appalachian Regional Healthcare and more.

KBC recently updated its blood donor eligibility requirements for cancer patients. Many donors who were previously issued longtime deferrals for certain cancer diagnoses, specifically some organ cancers and melanoma, are now eligible to give blood one year after completion of treatment. For more details on the updated eligibility requirements, visit bit.ly/KBC_CancerEligibility. According to Americas Blood Centers, 62% of the people in the U.S. are eligible to give blood but only 3% do.

Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in general good health, show a photo I.D. and meet additional requirements. Sixteen-year-old donors must have a signed parental permission slip, which can be found at kybloodcenter.org.