Blood donation drive at Wal-Mart | Ledger Independent

Kentucky Blood Center will host a blood drive at Maysville Walmart on August 1, offering donors an important opportunity to save lives at a critical time on the calendar.

It’s trauma season in Kentucky, a period of months in the summer when good times and good weather usher in an increase in severe, life-threatening injuries.

Traumas like car accidents can have a major impact on the blood supply and KBC is currently experiencing an increase in blood transfusions while donor turnout lags. Traumas can often require more than 50 units of blood for a single patient.

KBC is calling on Kentuckians to step up and save local patients’ lives. As a thank you for donating blood, KBC will provide all donors at this upcoming drive with a $10 Walmart gift card (while supplies last).

Blood collected at this drive will save the lives of patients in Kentucky who require products for surgeries, diseases like cancer, traumas, organ transplants, premature births and more. Kentucky Blood Center, through the generous donation of blood from donors, provides lifesaving blood products to more than 70 hospitals in Kentucky.

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.

Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule a donation, visit kybloodcenter.org or call 800.775.2522.