January is National Blood Donor Month and to help celebrate the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center is hosting a Blue Blood Drive Jan. 2-4.
Partnering with the Kentucky Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), the National Blue Blood Drive is a series of blood drives coordinated across the nation by COPS. The blood drives are held in conjunction with Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Jan. 9.
Janet Howard, CEO of the WKRBC, said every minute of the day someone in western Kentucky needs a lifesaving transfusion.
“You never know who in your life, be it a family member, a neighbor or a complete stranger, that will benefit from the hour of your time,” she said.
The blood drive will take place at both blood centers — 3015 Old Hartford Road and 1902 S. Virginia Street, Hopkinsville.
Howard said this is just one way to show the women and men in blue how much they mean to the community.
Currently, their greatest blood needs are O positive, B positive and A negative.
The WKRBC is the sole supplier of blood and blood products used at six western Kentucky Hospitals including Owensboro Medical Health System.
Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, according to the American Red Cross. Yet, only 10 percent of eligible individuals give blood annually.
Sergeant Adam Johnston is a 17-year veteran of the Owensboro Police Department has been visiting the blood center since the mid-90s when was a student at Owensboro Catholic High School. He donates platelets through a process called pheresis and donates every two or three weeks. Since he doesn’t donate whole blood he is allowed to donate more often.
“The blood is taken out of me and run through a machine which separates the platelets from the blood,” he said. “The blood is then returned back to me while the platelets are stored for future use by those in need.”
Johnston said since his career is in law enforcement, this is just another way he can help the community and those in need.
“I donate because it helps save lives,” Johnston said. “With every blood donation, three lives can be saved. It’s also a family tradition.”
Johnston said his father has been a long-time blood donor as well as his uncle, cousins and siblings.
“I strongly encourage everyone to give it a try,” he said. “There’s no other way I can think of that one person can save so many lives with so little effort. The staff at the blood center is so welcoming and the center itself is so inviting. The initial stick of the needle is over in a second and then you get to relax while you donate.”
