As the sole supplier for six regional hospitals and three air evacuation units, the West Kentucky Regional Blood Center stays busier than most.
Its main center in Owensboro serves Daviess, Ohio, Breckinridge, McLean and Hancock counties, while its substation in Hopkinsville serves Christian, Crittenden, Caldwell and Trigg counties.
During a Tuesday visit to the Hopkinsville Rotary Club, WKRBC Coordinator Beth Lancaster said the responsibility umbrella comes close to 250,000 residents in that nine-county area — and that’s not including the planning necessary for life-saving measures needed in accidents, criminal activity or natural disasters.
As such, Lancaster noted the call for blood is a consistent one — and particularly when things are dire.
Specifically needing both O-negative and O-positive blood, Lancaster iterated that one pint of blood can save three lives and in three different ways. Each pint of blood donated is tested at the main Owensboro campus, and separated into platelets, plasma and red blood cells — each of which has a unique and special purpose.
Lancaster had a checklist for those thinking about donating blood in the future:
a) Must be 17 years old, or 16 years old with parent’s permission
b) Must weigh at least 115 pounds
c) Must eat a healthy meal prior and post donation
d) Must provide a medication list and official identification
e) Must wait at least 56 days between donations
f) Must have a 12.5 iron count for women, and a 13 iron count for men
g) Must be able to answer health and travel questions
She added that those with tattoos must wait at least one year before donating blood, and that the donation process itself takes about 30 minutes.
Aside from emergencies, Lancaster added the essential blood bank can store personal blood in preparation for a soon-to-be surgery, or one can donate for a friend if the blood type matches and doctors sign off on the procedure.
The WKRBC can also see its boundaries stretched thin at any minute. Lancaster said they were supremely tested not just with the COVID-19 pandemic, but the recent swathe of severe weather in west Kentucky put the unit on notice. Mayfield, specifically, needed blood the weekend of December 10, as blood shortages were quickly realized.
Furthermore, Lancaster noted the WKRBC is a member of the Blood Emergency Readiness Coalition — which comprises of organizations that are prepared to handle the grim circumstances around a mass shooting.
Each year, more than 16,000 pints of blood are needed to meet demands in local hospitals.
For more information, visit online at wkrbc.org, call the Hopkinsville location at 270-885-0728, or visit the facility at 1902 S. Virginia Street.
Walk-ins are welcome. No appointment is necessary at this time.
