LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) – In partnership with the Kentucky Blood Center, the Central Bank Center is hosting the kickoff event for the blood center’s “Save our Summer” campaign.

Although as of Friday morning, the Kentucky Blood Center is only in low supply of one blood type, just Thursday morning they were in critical need of four different blood types.

Showing just how quickly things can change for the center if they don’t get a consistent amount of donations.

During the summer months, there is typically an uptick in local hospital usage of blood, in addition to fewer donations compared to other points in the year, meaning that one bad day can really hamper a hospital’s supply.

All donations made at Friday’s drive, or at a Kentucky Blood Center location, go to one of more than 70 Kentucky hospitals and can be a difference in saving the life of someone you know.

Blood center reps said not having the supply, could change everything.

“It could be a life-threatening impact,” said the Director of Media for the Kentucky Blood Center Eric Lindsey. “That’s what it comes down to. Obviously, the hospital, Kentucky Blood Center, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure it’s there. If that means hopping on the phone with another hospital and getting blood from there. Earlier this week, we imported blood from out of state. We’ll do whatever we can to make sure the blood is there. But we have to realize when we’re doing those measures, we’re taking blood away from somewhere else.”

To donate, all it takes is 45 minutes of your time to go through the entire process.

Compared to the summer of 2019, the last summer before the pandemic, Lindsey said donations at the blood center are down roughly 12%.

Putting blood on the shelves and potentially saving the life of someone you know who is in need of a blood transfusion are not the only benefits of donating. You can also alleviate the stress on our medical professionals.

“When you think about it, if you happen to go to the hospital, you need a blood transfusion,” Lindsey explained. “That’s really scary. That’s putting medical officials in a tough position to be able to save lives. We never want them to be in that position. We know that we’re one trauma away or one big transfusion day away from being right back in that hole where we are. We want to make sure we try to have at least a three-to-four-day supply of all of our blood types. And we’re just frankly, we’re just not there right now.”

Suppose you need extra motivation in donating to the drive. In that case, the Kentucky Blood Center is offering a free “Give Back, Give Blood” t-shirt, a free ticket to a movie at LexLive, as well as entry into a drawing for free tickets to various events at Rupp Arena including WWE Smackdown and Thomas Rhett.

The Save Our Summer blood drive begins at 9 a.m. Friday and goes until 3 p.m. at the Central Bank Center.

Appointments are preferred, which can be made here, but walk-ins are also available.

If you are interested in donating blood, it is important to note that you must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), must weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and have a valid ID, as well as meet other requirements.

For more information about the Save Our Summer campaign, you can find it here.