Save a Life, Win a Truck with KBC May 20, 2016

Summer Donors Needed to Pump Up Community Blood Supply

Drive Kentucky summer promotion logo.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Donors can save a life this summer, and win a 2016 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 this fall when they donate blood with Kentucky Blood Center June 1 through Aug. 31 during the Drive Kentucky summer promotion. Those, 18 years of age and older, who register to give blood during the summer months will be automatically entered to win.

Besides being eligible to win the Tacoma, summer donors also ensure a strong blood supply for Kentucky patients at a time when demand can soar but donations typically dip.

“The summer months can be a difficult time in blood banking. With people vacationing or opting for a slower paced schedule at work and home, blood donations can decline,” said Martha Osborne, KBC’s Executive Director of Marketing and Recruitment.

“The demand for blood, however, doesn’t slow down,” said Osborne. “Last summer KBC donors provided for more than 23,000 transfusions for Kentucky patients. We expect at least the same demand from Kentucky hospitals this summer. That’s why it’s important to keep the community’s blood supply strong, and we hope the chance of winning a new Toyota Tacoma will help encourage people to donate when they are eligible. We want them to be a Drive Kentucky Summer Lifesaver."

2016 Toyota Tacoma 4x4.

Win a 2016 Toyota Tacoma 4x4

Donors will receive a non-fasting cholesterol test, and results will be posted within five days after donation at kybloodcenter.org, where donors can also find the rules of the truck giveaway.

Blood donors must be 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. First-time donors must present a government-issued photo I.D.

To schedule a donation, visit kybloodcenter.org or call 800.775.2522. KBC Donor Centers are listed below:

About Kentucky Blood Center

Founded nearly 50 years ago, KBC is the largest independent, full-service, non-profit blood center in Kentucky. Licensed by the FDA, KBC’s sole purpose is to collect, process and distribute blood for patients in Kentucky hospitals.

All blood that is donated with KBC is returned to the Beaumont Donor Center where it is processed, prepared and stored for shipment to Kentucky hospitals.

Blood needs are ongoing. Red cells last only 42 days and must be continually replenished to adequately support Kentucky hospitals. Statistics show that one in seven hospital patients will require blood transfusions during their stay. However, only 37 percent of the population is eligible to donate blood and less than 10 percent does. All blood types are needed, and there is a particular need for type O negative blood since it is the “universal donor” and needed in emergencies when the patient’s blood type is unknown.

The blood already on the shelf is the blood used in an emergency. That’s why KBC is always encouraging people to donate blood.