Keeping Our Blood Supply Strong During Spring Break

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is calling on the community to donate blood during spring break to ensure that blood is readily available for patients in need. Spring break is a time of rest and relaxation; however, accidents and emergencies can happen at any time, and blood donations are needed to save lives.

Spring break poses many challenges for our blood supply and our area hospitals. Schools are out, people are traveling, regular daily routines change, and blood appointments are not being kept or canceled. Our community sees a decrease in our blood supply during this time.

However, patients in our community rely daily on our blood donors to treat their various medical conditions, such as cancer patients needing platelets while undergoing chemotherapy, patients with blood diseases needing transfusions frequently, and patients undergoing surgeries. We also see more people on the roads and an increase in motor accidents and trauma victims during this time.

“Patients in our community depend on the generosity of blood donors to help save and sustain their lives,’ said Kevin Shipley, director of donor recruitment at Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. “Blood drives and donations typically decline during Spring Break due to schools being out and families taking vacations together,” Shipley said.

We are asking our community to keep their blood donation appointments during Spring Break and to think about the thousands of patients in our community who need blood each day. If you are traveling for Spring Break, try to make an appointment to give blood when you return.

“We encourage families to add donating blood to their list of activities to do this spring break to help ensure every patient has life-saving blood readily available,” said Shipley.

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is one of the largest community blood centers in the United States, serving 26 counties across the Texas Gulf Coast, Brazos Valley, and East Texas. We serve more than 170 hospitals and healthcare institutions, including the largest medical center in the world, Texas Medical Center, where the need for blood is constant. Every day, our community needs 1,000 units of blood to maintain our area hospitals and the patients they serve.

Donating blood is easy and can be done once every 56 days. To donate blood, individuals must be at least 16 years old (with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health. Donors must also bring a valid photo ID, should eat a healthy meal, and drink plenty of fluids before donating. A typical whole blood donation takes about an hour and saves many lives. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is asking our community to donate more frequently and make giving blood a part of their routine as a way of giving back – One-hour changes everything!

To find a location for donation, please visit giveblood.org. And let’s work together to keep our blood supply strong.

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is a nonprofit organization, accredited by the Food and Drug Administration, and the sole provider of blood and blood components 24/7 to more than 170 hospitals and health care facilities in a 26-county Texas Gulf Coast region.