Giving Blood Saves Lives. Period!
It's that simple. It's that important. Every three seconds, someone in our area needs a blood transfusion. In less than an hour, you can become a hero to someone you will never meet, but whose life you have changed forever. When you give blood, you give someone another smile, another hug, another birthday. People of all ages need blood -- adults who require dozens of pints for their surgery or a baby who may need only a few tablespoons of the precious fluid to survive. Either way, you can participate in the act of improving and saving lives.

Who's eligible?
To be eligible to donate blood, a person must be in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and be at least 17 years of age. You will also be asked to provide a photo ID, such as a drivers' license or other government ID. There is no upper age limit. People in their 80's and older have safely donated. Exactly where you have traveled in the world may also determine whether you are eligible to donate blood. Feel free to contact our Donor Room Manager in Lexington with any questions about eligibility following foreign travel. Dial 276-2534 or toll free 888-775-2522.

BLOOD DONATION PROCESS
At KBC, the blood donation process involves five easy steps:              

• Registration
• Medical Screening - including a "mini-physical"
• Donation
• Refreshments
• Follow up

Medical Screening: You'll then go to a private screening area where a member of our staff will ask you questions about your medical history and about behavior that could put you at risk for AIDS or other diseases.

Then we will perform a "mini-physical" that includes:

• A check of your temperature
• A check of your pulse
• A blood pressure reading
• And a quick finger stick to determine the iron level in your blood (hemoglobin test)  A level of 12.5g/dl tells us you have enough red cells for yourself and enough to share!

Donation: After your medical screening, you'll recline in a donor bed.  A phlebotomist (the person who draws your blood) will clean your arm and insert a needle into a vein allowing the collection of about one pint of blood into a sterile, plastic pouch.  Does it hurt?  Donors say it feels like a firm pinch on the inner bend of your arm.

Refreshments: After the needle is removed and a bandage is placed on your arm, we ask you to rest for a few minutes.  Refreshments are available in the donor canteen area to supply quick energy. Congratulations!  You're a blood donor!

Follow up: A few days after your donation, you'll receive a thank-you message from us recorded by someone whose life has been saved by blood donations.  We'll also ask for your response to a quick, four-question survey to provide information to us about our service to you.

AUTOMATED BLOOD COLLECTIONS

Some things you just do... automatically!

Why use Automated Blood Collection?

    One of the primary reasons donors give for not giving blood is “not enough time.”   By giving the ABC way, you can maximize your ability to help others without extra visits to donate.   Because the interval between double red cell donations is 112 days compared to 56 days for a regular blood donation, you are spending less time donating but are giving twice as much!

Trima Automated Blood Collection System

    The new Trima machine allows a donor to give exactly what is needed in their community at that time. Give all three blood components simultaneously or larger volumes of one component. And it uses a single needle! Coming soon to Lexington, Somerset and Pikeville.

Double Red Blood Cell Donation 

    Are you ready to give blood – on the double? A high-tech process offered by the Kentucky Blood Center makes it possible for you to donate two units of red cells in only one visit at either a donor center or a mobile blood drive.

    Double Red Blood Cell donation is a two-step process.  One unit of red cells is collected from a donor and the plasma and saline are returned to the donor.  Then the cycle repeats.  An additional red cell unit is collected from a donor, and plasma and saline are returned to the donor. 

The volume collected is equivalent to the volume loss from a regular whole blood donation. The donation procedure takes 30 - 40 minutes, with your entire visit to the blood Center or mobile drive lasting about one hour. 

Who can donate ABC double red cells?

    The requirements for ABC are the same as for whole blood, with a few additions:

• Be at least 17 years of age or older;
• Weigh at least 150 pounds and be at least 5 ft. 5 in. if you are female;
• Weigh at least 130 pounds and be at least 5 ft. 1 in. if you are male;
• Have a 40% or greater hematocrit (or 13.3 gm/dl hemoglobin), which indicates an adequate iron level in your blood to be able to donate additional red cells;
• Wait 112 days between double red cell donations.

   More than 60% of all needed transfusions for patients are red cells.   The red cell portion of the blood carries oxygen to all parts of the body and is usually used following trauma or surgery.   Red blood cells can be kept under refrigeration for 42 days.

Plasma Donation

   Plasma donation is much the same as donating whole blood. Blood is drawn from a donor's arm and circulated through a cell separator machine. The machine quickly separates whole blood into plasma and your red cells are returned to you. The entire donation process takes about one hour from registration to refreshments.

Platelet Donation

   When donating platelets, blood is drawn from the donor's arm and circulated through a cell separator machine. The machine separates the platelets and returns the remaining blood components to the donor. This procedure takes between an hour and an hour and a half, with your entire visit to the donor center taking about two hours.

Why target Type O donors for double red cell donations?
While all blood types are needed, Type O blood donors are especially needed because 45 percent of the population has Type O blood.   Additionally, Type O Negative blood is considered universal because anyone can receive that type.