Big Blue Slam blood drive returns for 18th year to boost winter blood supply
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Kentucky fans are being called on to roll up their sleeves and donate blood as the 18th annual Big Blue Slam returns next week.
Kentucky Blood Center’s annual blood battle against Florida-based LifeSouth Community Blood Center runs from Jan. 26 through Jan. 30 at all KBC donor locations. The friendly competition encourages blood donations during the winter months, when weather conditions and seasonal illness often disrupt collections.
While winter is not yet halfway over, KBC officials say maintaining a healthy blood supply now is critical to preventing shortages later in the season.
Kentucky donors have won four consecutive Big Blue Slam competitions, but the margins have been slim. The winner has been decided by fewer than 100 donors for six straight years. Overall, Kentucky Blood Center leads LifeSouth 11–6 in the series.
“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, vice president of external relations at Kentucky Blood Center. “The key to maintaining a healthy supply for local patients is making sure blood is on the shelves in advance of the need.”
Brajuha added that proactive donations during the competition help ensure hospitals remain prepared for emergencies while also keeping the rivalry alive.
Donors can give blood at any of KBC’s eight donor centers located in Lexington, Louisville, Corbin, Frankfort, Pikeville and Somerset, as well as at mobile blood drives throughout the week. Most donor centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during Big Blue Slam. A list of public mobile drives is available online.
Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be scheduled online at kybloodcenter.org or by calling 800-775-2522. Walk-ins will be accepted as space allows.
All donors will receive a Big Blue Slam T-shirt as a thank-you for helping save local lives.
Blood donations are used to treat trauma patients, cancer patients, surgical patients, transplant recipients and others in need. Kentucky Blood Center supplies blood to more than 70 hospitals across the state, including UK HealthCare, Baptist Health, CHI Saint Joseph and Appalachian Regional Healthcare.
KBC recently updated its donor eligibility guidelines for cancer survivors. Some donors previously deferred for certain organ cancers and melanoma may now be eligible to donate one year after completing treatment. Additional eligibility information is available on Kentucky Blood Center’s website.
According to America’s Blood Centers, about 62 percent of people in the United States are eligible to donate blood, but only about 3 percent do.
Blood donors must be at least 17 years old, or 16 with parental consent, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in general good health, and present a photo ID. A parental permission form for 16-year-old donors is available online.
