Health

The Need for Blood Outpaces Donations in South Texas

At the age of 3, Amy has already been through more than most people – chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and weeks in the hospital.

“Having a child with cancer is as frightening as you might imagine it to be. This uncertainty is made more complex when your child has a rare blood type, O-,” said Ryan Morkovsky, Amy’s father.

“I have seen the cold storage; it is smaller than I thought. I have seen the blood supply of which there was a mere 9 units of type O- blood in total. It is exactly as I had feared it to be.”

By South Texas Blood & Tissue

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has been facing a critical blood shortage. But now, doctors say the crisis is forcing some to triage medical care.

“Every blood center is struggling to maintain a stable blood supply,” said Adrienne Mendoza, Chief Operating Officer, South Texas Blood & Tissue. “Every blood transfusion that is given to a patient in need comes from a volunteer donor, and we are calling on our community to come together.”

South Texas Blood & Tissue, a subsidiary of San Antonio nonprofit BioBridge Global, serves more than 100 hospitals in 48 counties.

Rapid population growth in South Texas has driven up the demand for blood by 15-20% this year. Kendall and Comal counties are in the top 10 fastest growing counties in the country, according to U.S. Census data, and the growth has created a need for more blood donation centers.

Blood donations help accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those undergoing treatment for cancer, sickle cell disease, and many more.

There are many ways that cancer affects blood – it can cause internal bleeding and low blood counts. Chemotherapy can also damage bone marrow that produces blood cells. Blood and platelet transfusions are essential for many cancer patients fighting the disease.

“We are working closely with our hospitals to prepare for scheduled procedures that are likely to require transfusion support,” said Dr. Samantha Gomez Ngamsuntikul, Associate Medical Director, South Texas Blood & Tissue. “While some medical care can be postponed, others can’t, such as trauma victims and care for patients with unexpected hemorrhage during childbirth.”

Donors can make an appointment with South Texas Blood & Tissue by calling 210-731-5590 or visiting SouthTexasBlood.org. Same-day appointments and walk-ins are available at the center’s eight donor rooms, as well as at community blood drives. Donors at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent) and in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.