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The Kentucky Blood Center is reporting a “significant strain” on its blood supply following the holiday season.
The organization is asking for people, especially those with O type or A- blood, to donate this week “to boost the source of lifesaving blood products for more than 70 hospitals in Kentucky.”
According to a Monday news release, Kentucky Blood Center has “less than a half day’s supply” of both O- and O+ blood, putting that supply in “critical shape.”
The O-negative supply is crucial because this is the universal type and can go to anyone. This blood type is often used in emergencies when a patient’s blood type isn’t known. According to the American Red Cross, just 7% of Americans have an O-negative blood type.
The center also has less than a half day’s supply of A- blood.
“Higher donor turnout over the remaining few days of 2025 is crucial to providing a healthy blood supply for local patients in need,” the organization said.
Depending on location and time of donation, blood centers and mobile drives are giving away movie tickets and hoodies in exchange for blood donations.
For more information, visit https://www.kybloodcenter.org/.
This article appears in Dec. 1-31, 2025.