SAN ANTONIO – Big Lou's Pizza is challenging the community to donate 300 units of blood during its Saturday blood drive. The pizza joint is even willing to incentivize donations with a free 20 inch pizza.
Several gathered at the pizza shop at 2048 South W.W. White Road on Saturday to give blood.
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STBTC's eight bloodmobiles will be at the restaurant until 8 p.m. in an effort to meet the 300 unit goal.
Donors will get a 20-inch pizza, movie passes from City Base Cinema and a Big Lou's t-shirt.
The mission is especially dear to the owners of Big Lou's pizza. The father of the owner, Brian Lujan., needed blood as part of the treatment for aplastic anemia.
“My dad needed several transfusions over the course of his treatment for aplastic anemia,”
said Brian Lujan, owner of Big Lou’s Pizza. “It was only through blood donors that he was able to get them. I take it really personally, the seriousness of donating blood and how it affects so many people.”
The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center recently said the region was experiencing a critical shortage of blood -- namely O negative blood -- due to the holidays.
STBTC also said winter weather impacted potential donations. They estimate 400 units of blood were not collected because of winter weather cancelations.