With the demand for blood soaring, the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is fighting an expected seasonal drop in donations over Passover and Easter Week by keeping donor rooms open and asking the community to give the gift of life this holiday weekend.
The blood center will remain open through the Passover and the Easter holiday weekend including Sunday at all six San Antonio/New Braunfels donor rooms.
“An increase in surgeries and transplants seems to be driving a higher demand,” said Adrienne Mendoza, Vice President, Blood Operations at the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, a subsidiary of San Antonio nonprofit BioBridge Global. “We are aware of at least eight liver transplant procedures just this week. Several of those patients needed more than 50 units of blood each.
“Although the community has responded to our call for donations, we’re concerned that blood won’t be available to meet the increased level of demand, especially if there is a drop in collections this weekend,” Mendoza added. “Surgery, and especially transplants, can’t go forward without the hospital having sufficient blood on hand.”
There also is a significant need for donations for those undergoing cancer treatments. Cancer patients receive the largest percentage of blood transfusions year in and year out, and those transfusions are at risk because of the ongoing shortage.
Hospitals also need to have blood on hand for emergency trauma cases, from auto accidents to cases of childbirth complications.
A special thank-you for giving the gift of life
As an extra thank-you for those who take the time to give blood, donors will receive double rewards this month and can choose two $10 eGift cards from 100+ retailers.
Donors can make an appointment with the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center by calling 210-731-5590 or visiting SouthTexasBlood.org. Same-day appointments are available at the center’s seven donor rooms in San Antonio, New Braunfels and Victoria, as well as at community blood drives.
The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center has added appointment slots as it works to build the blood supply. Anyone who already has an appointment is asked to keep it or contact the center to reschedule and open space for another donor.
