The Lexington Medical Society established Kentucky Blood Center in 1968 to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood for Lexington's hospitals. We have since grown to serve close to two million people in 62 counties in central and eastern Kentucky. We operate two outlying donor centers in Somerset and Pikeville. All of the collected blood is processed, tested and prepared for distribution at our Lexington center. Through our 67 client hospitals we provide a range of blood components for transfusions. Last year KBC collected, tested and processed over 100,000 units of blood and platelets. Because whole blood is broken down into several different components, over 135,000 patients at our client hospitals received transfusions. Among these patients were trauma and burn victims, patients with cancer and leukemia, transplant recipients, patients undergoing surgery, and seriously ill newborns requiring transfusions.