LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mother Nature has put Kentucky in an early hole in the 18th annual Big Blue Slam. The winter weather storm that slammed the state over the weekend shut down all Kentucky Blood Center donation locations Monday except for Lexington’s Beaumont and Andover donor centers, producing meager collections on the first day of the 2026 blood battle.

LifeSouth Community Blood Center in Florida leads KBC 187–19 in the five-day blood battle to collect the most blood and provide the local supply with mid-winter boost. With additional mobile drives canceled for Tuesday, including at the University of Kentucky because of the campus closure, Kentucky donors have their work cut out for them to keep the four-year winning streak alive.

Fortunately, after reduced operations on Monday, all KBC donor centers are scheduled to open Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. If there is a fan base that knows a thing or two about rallying from a deficit, the “Comeback Cats” are just the donors.

“It’s been a frustrating start to this year’s Big Blue Slam, but that’s no fault of anyone,” said Mandy Brajuha, vice president for external relations at KBC. “The safety and well-being of our donors and staff is our top priority. This weekend’s storm gave us no choice but to reduce our operations to our headquarters on Monday. Although we have a sizeable gap to make up, we have the donors and the time to do it. When conditions are safe to get out, we hope our donors will claw their way back and donate blood.”

The competition with Florida aside, donors are needed this week to make up for major collection losses on Saturday and Monday, in addition to projected losses at UK and other mobile drives on Tuesday. Big Blue Slam is an important event that shores up lifesaving blood for local hospitals over the winter. Instead of stocking the shelves with donations to start the week, KBC now has major ground to make up to ensure a healthy blood supply.

Donors can schedule an appointment by visiting bit.ly/BigBlueSlam2026 or by calling 800.775.2522. All donors will receive a limited-edition Big Blue Slam T-shirt as a thank you for donating. All blood drives are subject to change because of the winter conditions. Donors are encouraged to check before donating. Donors with appointments will be notified of changes.

Donations this week and throughout the year support local patients at more than 70 hospitals in Kentucky. KBC relies on the generosity of donors to provide blood to UK HealthCare, Baptist Health, CHI Saint Joseph, Appalachian Regional Healthcare and more.

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.