Barrett Barbour has made South Texas Blood & Tissue history
San Marcos firefighter Barrett Barbour has been identified as the donor who gave the five millionth blood donation at South Texas Blood & Tissue.
He will be honored with a special ceremony at the New Braunfels Donor Center, 651 North Business IH-35, Suite 830, on Oct. 1 at 11 a.m.
The community blood center, established 50 years ago as the South Texas Regional Blood Bank, has been collecting blood in New Braunfels since the 1970s.
Barbour was raised in New Braunfels and attended Canyon High School. He is a real estate agent and has been a firefighter with the San Marcos Fire Department for the last 17 years.
When San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and South Texas Blood & Tissue rallied the community to participate in the “5 Million in 50” Challenge, Barrett wasn’t aware. He didn’t know about the countdown or the organization’s 50th anniversary. He was just doing his duty as a good citizen, he says.
He’s been donating type O-negative blood for the past two years and his blood is in high demand, because O-negative blood can help any anyone in emergency situations when a person requires immediate blood transfusion and there is no time to test their blood group.
Barbour’s compassion stems from his mother Nancy Montgomery, who is a regular blood donor herself.
Although he knows the importance of his contribution as the five millionth donor, Barbour says the accolade has given him encouragement to tell others about the importance of donation.
“It’s definitely an honor,” he said. “I’m glad the blood is being put to good use and saving people. My small donation makes a big impact on others’ lives.”
Be part of history by becoming a blood donor. Visit SouthTexasBlood.org.
