Local Winter Blood Drive Collects 30 Units Amid Shortages

Hazard residents gathered at a winter blood drive hosted by WYMT in partnership with the Kentucky Blood Center on Jan. 5, resulting in 30 units collected and several additional people who registered but were unable to donate. The event responded to public notices of critical shortages that spurred new and returning donors to act.

Many attendees described personal and practical reasons for giving. Tiffany Amburgey, a first-time donor, said she responded after seeing social media appeals about the short supply. “I actually saw a Facebook post saying that they were in critical and major need and that the supply was running pretty short,” Amburgey said. “So, we both decided just to come over here on a whim.” Amburgey added that her background as an endoscopy surgical tech informed her decision. “I always did want to donate blood because I used to be an endoscopy surgical tech, so I know how important it is whenever people get in a crisis and need a lot of blood,” she said.

Other donors emphasized the medical importance of certain blood types. Kaylin Whitaker, an O negative donor, pointed to the wide usefulness of her blood type. “I am O negative, so I am a universal donor and anyone can take my blood,” Whitaker said. “That is why I enjoy donating because that is a blood type that anyone can use and get no matter what. Especially if you have a rare blood type too, that is super important. Donate because some people may need that type of blood.”

Staff who run drives also noted the human stakes of the work. Technician Dakota Vanover reflected on the career shift into donor services and the reward of helping patients. “My favorite part is sticking people. It’s pretty interesting. Before this job I worked for Pepsi. I had never done anything like this,” Vanover said. “I think it is pretty amazing getting to save lives.”

Public health experts and blood banks stress the practical impact of donations: each pint can help up to three people, meaning the 30 pints collected could potentially save about 90 lives. For Perry County, that contribution can bolster hospital preparedness and blood availability for trauma, surgery and chronic conditions that require transfusions.

The drive highlighted how community appeals, social media and targeted events bring in donors who might not otherwise give. Sustaining blood supplies requires ongoing community participation, including outreach to donors with rare blood types and efforts to remove barriers to donation. For residents concerned about shortages, mobile drives and local collection events remain a critical pathway to keep hospital shelves stocked and neighbors safe.