Donors Can Bleed Blue, Save a Life, and Beat the Gators

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan 23, 2017) — University of Kentucky fans can show the University of Florida Gators who are the best off the court by donating Jan. 23-27 during Big Blue Slam, the annual blood battle between Kentucky and Florida.

Donors will receive a Big Blue Slam long-sleeve T-shirt and a chance to win tickets to the NCAA tournament first and second rounds in Indianapolis on March 17 and 19.

The friendly competition between Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) and LifeSouth Community Blood Centers in Gainesville challenges fans of the Cats and the Gators to see who can donate the most blood the last week in January. Kentucky and Florida are tied, each winning four times since their competition began in 2009.

“The real winners in this battle, though, are the Kentucky and Florida patients who require blood transfusions every day,” said Martha Osborne, KBC’s executive director for marketing and recruitment.

Those who give on campus can also ask about helping DanceBlue. Donation locations on campus are as follows:

Monday          Gatton College, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

                        Singletary Center, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Tuesday          Singletary Center, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

                        Gatton College, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

                        William T. Young Library, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Wednesday     Singletary Center, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.  

                         Young Library, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Thursday         Chem Phys Building, room 114, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

                         Singletary Center, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

                         Johnson Center, 1-7:30 p.m.

Friday              Johnson Center, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

                         Funkhouser Building (on the bloodmobile), 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  

                         UK Med Center (employee drop off on Rose St.) 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Kentucky and Florida meet on the court Feb. 4 in Florida and Feb. 25 in Rupp Arena.

To schedule a donation, visit http://kybloodcenter.org or call 1-800-775-2522. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Blood donors must be 17-years-old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in general good health, show a photo ID and meet additional requirements. Sixteen-year-old donors must have a signed parental permission slip, which can be found at http://kybloodcenter.org.

KBC, founded nearly 50 years ago, is the largest independent, full-service, nonprofit blood center in Kentucky. Licensed by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), KBC’s sole purpose is to collect, process and distribute blood for patients in 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.

For more information, contact KBC Marketing and Communications Manager Denise Fields at dfields@kybloodcenter.org.