SAN ANTONIO – Due to inclement weather, University Health has rescheduled the upcoming KSAT Community blood drive from Feb. 18-19 to March 1-2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“Our priority is for the health and safety of our community, and with this unprecedented weather we decided to reschedule the blood donation drive,” said Debra Serna, manager of blood donor services at University Health. “However, blood supplies continue to be low and we hope everyone will make an effort to come to the rescheduled drive. We and our partners, the Witte and KSAT Community, look forward to a successful event in early March.”
KSAT Community partner, University Health is encouraging the community of San Antonio to make a difference and help donate blood.
For each person who donates blood, the Witte Museum will offer a complimentary pass to its special exhibition The Machine Inside: Biomechanics.
University Hospital’s Emergency Department averages 70,000 emergency patients each year and transfused 30,000 in 2017.
According to University Health, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and nearly 21 million blood products are transfused each year.
“Fewer than 30% of eligible donors regularly donate, so it is always a battle to ensure that there is enough blood supply,” said Dr. Leslie Greebon, University Health Medical Director of Transfusion Services. “But COVID-19 has created even more challenges for so many reasons. It’s more complicated to provide for safe donations and social distancing; the donor pool is decreased due to illness or quarantine, and far fewer large businesses or schools are holding donor drives.”
All blood donated at University Hospital is used in-house for its patients.
Every time one donor gives blood, they are able to help University Health save three lives.
“The demand for blood keeps going up, especially for transfusions among our patients who need chemotherapies and surgeries that were postponed due to COVID-19,” said Greebon. “We currently are critically low on blood, particularly O red cells and platelets. Please consider donating now and at future eligible dates to help maintain a consistent and abundant supply of blood – our entire community depends upon it.”
To schedule an appointment, click here or call 210-358-2812.
KSAT Community operates in partnership with University Health, Energy Transfer and Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union.