Local man’s life saved by blood donation; gives back by doing the same for others

One person’s blood donation can save up to three lives.

(PADUCAH, KY) June 26, 2023 - After a serious car accident in 2001, Baptist Health Paducah engineer Zach Houser, lost enough blood that he required blood from a generous donor that saved his life. Since then, Houser has never missed an opportunity to return the favor.

“After my accident, I was in a coma for almost three months and I lost a lot of blood,” said Houser. “I still have the clothes I was wearing that night as a reminder of how much blood I lost. My life was saved by it, so giving blood is my way of giving back and saying thank you. It means a lot to me.”

Many people donate blood because they want to help others. Blood donations are used for patients going through surgical procedures, childbirth, anemia, cancer treatments and more. After donating blood, the Kentucky Blood Center will inform donors of the impact they have made by sending them a text sharing where their blood was used and how many lives it saved.

One person’s blood donation can save up to three lives. Sign up to give this week at Baptist Health Paducah’s blood drive in partnership with the Kentucky Blood Center (KBC). The drive will be a two-day event held on Wednesday (3-5:30 p.m.) and Thursday (7 a.m.-4 p.m.) at the Carson-Myre Heart Center in the Barnes Auditorium. All donors will receive a limited edition KBC T-shirt while supplies last.

Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule a donation for this week’s blood drive, visit Kentucky - Donor Portal. Donors will need to bring their ID to their appointment.

Before signing up, please ensure that you meet the requirement to give blood. The donor must be at least 16 years-old, weigh at least 110 pounds and must be in good health and feeling well.