Big Blue Slam blood drives on UK campus Jan. 22-26
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 22, 2024) — University of Kentucky students, staff and faculty can take an active part in Kentucky’s annual rivalry with University of Florida Gators during this year’s Big Blue Slam event on UK’s campus.
Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) will be at the Gatton Student Center Ballroom A 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Jan. 22-26; at William T. Young Library from 1-5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22; and at Lewis Honors from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26.
By spending 45 minutes to an hour at the KBC blood drive, donors on campus will not only help Kentucky Blood Center save local lives and beat Florida, they will also be handsomely rewarded. On-campus donors will receive the following as a thank you for donating blood:
- Big Blue Slam long-sleeve shirt
- $5 Starbucks gift card
- Entry for two lower-level tickets at the UK-Florida men’s basketball game in Rupp Arena on Jan. 31.
Donors can schedule their appointment in advance at bit.ly/KBC_BigBlueSlam_UK_2024 or call 800-775-2522. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome.
The friendly rivalry with the Gators is an important chance to stock the blood shelves in the winter months when weather and illness can hinder collections. This will be the 16th annual blood battle between Kentucky and Florida. Riding a three-year winning streak, KBC and UK lead the series 9-6.
Donations with KBC go directly to saving local patients in Kentucky. Blood given by donors helps patients battling cancer, provides life support for traumas, aids in surgeries and so much more. One donation at KBC can save up to three lives.
KBC serves more than 70 hospitals in the Commonwealth and is the exclusive provider of blood to UK HealthCare.
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.
About Kentucky Blood Center
Celebrating 55 years of saving lives in Kentucky, KBC is the largest independent, full-service, nonprofit blood center in Kentucky. Licensed by the FDA, KBC’s sole purpose is to collect, process and distribute blood for patients in Kentucky. KBC provides services in 90 Kentucky counties and has donor centers in Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort, Pikeville, Somerset and the Tri-County area.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.