Competition ‘sticks’ as many plan to give gift of life last week of May

Published: May 23, 2018 | Updated: November 14, 2019

As a student at Western Kentucky University, Lindsey Robbins was quick to support her fellow classmates by giving blood.

“Our sororities and fraternities used to make blood drives a competition, and even though I didn’t belong to the Greek life, I always gave and thought it was a great idea to turn something so important to our community into a fun and valuable competition,” said Robbins, a registered nurse at Norton Audubon Hospital.

Admittedly competitive by nature, Robbins shared the idea with Jon D. Cooper, chief administrative officer, Norton Audubon Hospital. He put the wheels in motion to make it a systemwide initiative. During the last week of November 2017, five blood drives coordinated by the American Red Cross took place at Norton Audubon Hospital, Norton Brownsboro Hospital, Norton Hospital, Norton’s Watterson Tower office and Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital.

“The Red Cross has a unique responsibility to help ensure blood is available for patients whenever and wherever it is needed,” said Kay Howard, business development manager, American Red Cross Blood Services – River Valley Region.

“The Red Cross could not fulfill its mission without generous volunteer donors and amazing hospital partners like Norton Healthcare, who were willing to host drives to help ensure a stable blood supply during the winter when blood donations typically decline.”

A total of 480 donors came to the blood drives. Of those, more than 30 percent were first-time donors, a group the Red Cross hopes will continue to give.

Robbins and Sassy Utsey, APRN, Norton Medical Group, took on leadership roles at Norton Audubon Hospital to encourage co-workers to donate and to recruit volunteers to support Red Cross staff on the day of the blood drive.

The facilities have committed to hosting a second round of blood drives during the last week of May.

“Donating blood is a simple way to give back,” Cooper said. “As health care providers, we see the need every day in our emergency departments, operating rooms, infusion clinics and throughout the hospitals. I challenge everyone to join us in donating blood this May and in the future.”