The University of Kentucky has partnered with the Kentucky Blood Center to host an April blood drive.

This week, the KBC has made it their mission to encourage those who pass through the Gatton Student Center to join them in giving healthy blood to those in need.

The KBC is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is ensuring a safe, adequate blood supply for patients throughout Kentucky. KBC has been focused on providing life-saving blood products to Kentucky hospitals for 51 years. The blood that is donated to Kentucky hospitals is used in emergencies, which is why KBC highly recommends that those who can donate do.

As their second time on campus this academic school year, the center encourages students, faculty and staff to donate blood. Those studying in William T. Young Library or strolling through the student center were greeted by this important event occurring as the KBC set up shop.

On Tuesday the blood drive was hosted in the Grand Ballroom in the student center as well as the William T. Young Library. On Thursday the KBC decided to approach a different audience as they occupied the lobby of the Johnson Center.

“I donate blood because I don’t have an aversion to needles and so I don’t see any other reason why I should not. It’ll help somebody else; I’ll make more, and they give me snacks,” said Dominique Floyd, a graduate student in the kinesiology and health promotion department and graduate assistant at the Johnson Center.

For those who participate, t-shirts and snacks are given as a token of the KBC’s appreciation.

According to Community Blood Center, 43,000 pints of donated blood are used each day in the U.S. and Canada.

“The one pint of blood we take can save anywhere from three to six lives,” said Sara Plummer, the KBC’s team leader. 

Everyone has their own reasoning as to what made them stop and decide to donate.

“The thought of being able to take a little time out of my day to possibly save a couple people’s lives is what matters to me,” said Natalie Pesto, an exercise science senior.

The KBC is hosting another blood drive in the student center parking lot Friday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in their bloodmobile. Meanwhile they will also be in William T. Young Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in room B-108C. The KBC also expects to return in the coming fall semester and encourages all to donate.

For more information on the KBC or how you can get involved and donate blood yourself, visit www.kybloodcenter.org or follow them on Instagram at kybloodcenter.