SAN ANTONIO — This is where the community blood supply lives here at the South Texas Blood and Tissue center. This summer, collections have been low and with the holiday weekend coming up, with more drivers on the road and the potential for accidents, the need will increase that much more.
Inside the refrigerator, they supply blood for 44 counties in the area and want to make sure they have enough blood for patients facing trauma. Wednesday, all six of their donor rooms in San Antonio and New Braunfels opened up early at 8:30 a.m. to get as many people in as they can in to donate.
“We so believe in this need for blood during this holiday season that we have our employee blood drive during this same time and were asking our employees to step up and give 175 units over the next 5-6 days, so we put our blood where our mouth is,” South Texas Blood & Tissue Center COO Elizabeth Waltman said. “I know that sounds yucky, but we really do support the community in so many ways and we need the community to support us right now.”
You must be at least 16 years old, have a normal pulse, blood pressure and temperature and weigh at least 110 pounds. You must also bring your ID.
You can schedule an appointment online here. If saving 3 lives isn’t an incentive enough to come out and give, here's one more. Bill Miller will give you a free chicken meal for your donation.