SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is urging the public to donate blood and platelets to support patients in the community.

There is a consistent need for blood donations in and around our community. We have seen people step up and help, but the need persists. Roger Ruiz with South Texas Blood and tissue Center joined Leading SA this weekend to talk about the need and how you can help.

If you want free tickets to see the San Antonio Spurs, it’s as easy as giving a blood donation.

Two million customers in Florida are still without power, and at least 12 are confirmed dead as of Friday morning.

Thursday, Sept. 29 South Texas Blood and Tissue Center will conduct a mobile blood drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Applebee’s Grill, 3060 E. Main St. The community farmers market will be held at the downtown plaza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with an array of goods. The market takes place each

Hurricane Ian is tearing through the southwest coast of Florida after making landfall Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm.

Using revised FDA guidelines, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center reports it is notifying about 200 donors for retesting after they initially had false positive results.

In addition to blood donors, the blood center is asking for platelet donors.

A community blood drive is taking place on Monday as the desperate need for blood donations continues.

It’s the ninth donor center location for the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center that serves more than 100 hospitals in 48 counties.

Applebees will host a blood drive today for the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center and, as an incentive, they are offering donors a certificate for a free appetizer or dessert. The bloodmobile is set to be parked at the restaurant, 3060 E. Main St., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. “There were a lot

Applebees will host a blood drive on June 26 for the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center and, as an incentive, they are offering donors a certificate for a free appetizer or dessert. The bloodmobile is set to be parked at the restaurant, 3060 E. Main St., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. “There were

Community members are stepping up and helping the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, but they say they still are not at the level of donations they would prefer to be at.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has seen an outpouring of support for the Uvalde community after a deadly mass shooting at Robb Elementary School.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is in urgent need of blood donors, particularly those with Type O blood, and a blood drive will be held in Uvalde on Saturday. The bloodmobile will be parked at the Willie De Leon Civic Center, 300 E. Main St. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Imelda Bernardo-Barclift,

For blood donors at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde hit home.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is in critical need of blood donations following a mass shooting at a Uvalde elementary school.

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and so is the opportunity to give blood.

The need for blood donations in South Texas is critical.

A nurse at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center donated bone marrow to a girl in need in London 18 years ago. Now the two are bonded for life.

According to Laredo Donor Recruitment Consultant Jesse Cortez, the blood supply was...

Due to an overwhelming show of support from Laredoans wanting to donate blood, Laredo...

Laredo Medical Center, together with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center (STBTC) and...

Hundreds

It’s the season of giving and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center needs your help.

The critical blood shortage worldwide has been dragging on for over a year, now the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is suggesting donor restrictions should be eased further.

While the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is always looking for more people to donate blood, they find themselves more in need around the holidays.

A San Antonio mother is hoping sharing her story will encourage others to be blood donors.

Platelets and Type O donations are needed most, but all blood donations are welcome.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center continues to face a blood shortage as the demand grows.

June 14, 2021, marks World Blood Donor Day and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is inviting the community to donate blood.

San Antonio hospital leaders held a press conference at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center Wednesday morning to address the need for blood donations.

Shortage of blood donations hits home for Windcrest community. Local church and fire department are hosting a blood drive Sunday to help patients in need.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center says they need at least 200 more blood donations a day to meet the growing demand of treating people in our area hospitals.

Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-NewsNeed a car wash? You can get one for free if you donate blood to the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center. 9, The Wash Tub is partnering with the blood center for a three-day blood drive. The drive will be at seven locations throughout the San Antonio area and by appointment only. READ ALSO: Mayor: San Antonio is 'headed in right direction' days before Texas' reopeningDonors will receive a free car wash, $10 Rudy's BBQ gift card, $10 Amazon gift card and more.

SAN ANTONIO – Despite the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent update on the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is still encouraging people who are eligible to donate. Some found patients did not benefit from receiving convalescent plasma. “Initially, it was a larger group of patients that could get convalescent plasma. AdThe new recommendations say hospitals should use convalescent plasma with high levels of COVID-19 antibodies before a patient is intubated or placed on a ventilator. We’re learning so much, and there’s this thirst for finding the best therapies for patients,” Gomez said.

The American Red Cross is asking for blood donations to help fulfill an increase in need caused by the pandemic. SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is urging people to donate blood as it is seeing a “severe” shortage amid an “extremely urgent” demand. Adrienne Mendoza, the vice president of Blood Operations at South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, said the need for blood during the coronavirus pandemic has strained the supply, “putting our community at risk.”About 500 donations are needed a day to keep up with the demand. “The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed a secondary national health emergency – a dramatic blood shortage for patients from coast to coast.”Mendoza said the demand increased by 35% in January. A voucher for a smoothie at Smoothie King will be given to donors on Sundays.

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio doctor is clearing up confusion whether the US Food and Drug Administration is allowing people who received a COVID-19 vaccine to donate plasma with antibodies to help heal sick patients. And so, that’s only a small part of the coronavirus,” Gomez Ngamsuntikul said. However, someone who was vaccinated could still be eligible to donate plasma if they had COVID-19 and still have antibodies that were produced from infection. “When it’s part of your natural immunity, the immune response is a really broad type of immune response,” Gomez Ngamsuntikul said. For times and locations on where to donate, click here, or call the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center at 210-731-5555.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has announced Tuesday that the local supply of blood is enough for just three days of use. The center says that the local blood supply is not keeping up with the needs of patients, as COVID-19 has overwhelmed the donor recruitment system in the area and across the country. Additionally, the center said the type O blood supply, which area trauma centers rely on, is still in the critical zone. “All donors in the month of December will pocket a $10 Amazon Gift Card,” blood bank officials said in a statement. Related: South Texas Blood and Tissue Center to hold emergency blood drive Monday

click to enlarge Flickr/Matt HechtVeteran-owned apparel brand Grunt Style will host a blood drive Wednesday in partnership with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center to help address critical shortages during the pandemic.Grunt Style will host the drive between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at its headquarters, located at 900 Broadway.South Texas has experienced a blood shortage since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, due in part to cancelled community drives. Without an increase in regional blood supply, experts warn that hospitals will have to make critical decisions about which patients can be treated.As part of its "10 Days of Giving" campaign, Grunt Style said it's pledging a total of $100,000 in donations to 10 veteran- and military-focused nonprofits. The company will support a new organization daily during the campaign, which runs November 13-23.

Every donation will receive a free movie ticket. The blood drives will take place a various Santikos Movie Theaters on select dates. The free ticket gift can be redeemed at any Santikos movie theater. To make an appointment to donate and score your free ticket, visit https://southtexasblood.org/Santikos. Over 200 blood drives were canceled during the summer due to the South Texas uptick of Covid-19.

SAN ANTONIO – They’re the first on the scene at major trauma events and this weekend, San Antonio firefighters, EMS and police officers were the first in line to give back to the community by donating blood. Conrad Gonzales, a retired San Antonio firefighter, felt he needed to step up when he heard that the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center’s blood supply continues to be at an all-time low, due to the pandemic. “I thought, you know, let’s get the firefighters (and) make this, like, a first annual first responder blood drive,” Gonzales said. “For the month of September, we were down a little over 4,000 units (of blood),” Cracraft said. For more information on how to host a blood drive, call STBTC at 210-757-9505.

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center holds emergency blood drive MondayPublished: September 14, 2020, 6:21 pmThe South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is holding an emergency blood drive in an effort to rebuild its local supply.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is holding an emergency blood drive in an effort to rebuild its local supply. The center needs 500 donations per day Sunday and Monday to rebuild its supply and meet the demands of local patients, a spokesperson for the center said. All blood donations, but especially those of having an O blood type, are encouraged to schedule their appointments as soon as possible. The center’s goal is to have at least a three-day supply of all blood types, the STBTC said. All blood donations will be tested for antibodies through Oct. 30, officials said.

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center holds blood drive at Johnson High SchoolIf you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241.

SAN ANTONIO – Day 1 of the Morgan’s Wonderland blood drive is complete, and organizers hope to have just as good a turnaround for the drive’s second day. The blood drive is in partnership with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center (STBTC). Morgan’s Wonderland staff members say they know this is a community need with which they can assist. "Due to COVID-19, right now giving blood and donating blood is extremely important to our community," Morgan's Wonderland Chief Missions Officer Brooke Kearney said. Click here for the link to sign up for the blood drive.

SAN ANTONIO As requests for COVID-19 convalescent plasma spiked in late spring and early summer, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center needed more support, so a team from Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston stepped in and played a crucial role in collecting and distributing convalescent plasma. Twelve soldiers spent 30 days helping at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center. Freed was part of the team of soldiers that helped at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in San Antonio. Freed said this job also helped soldiers gain experience for future deployments where they would need to collect blood during a mass casualty event. They expect to help the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center again.

After spending weeks in the hospital and on a ventilator, a plasma donation helped Dorrian regain the strength to breath on his own. But with more requests from hospitals coming in, the donation center says they need more donors to keep up with rising demand. Click here to learn more about plasma donation. One blood donation can save up to three lives. To schedule a blood donation, visit SouthTexasBlood.org.

SAN ANTONIO Joseph Dorian tested positive for COVID-19 in late March but became seriously ill, and within days he was on life support. Someone took time out of their life to save my life. Dorian decided he wanted to donate his plasma to save lives as well. COVID is the enemy, convalescent plasma is the ammunition, Dorian said. I know with donating plasma, I can help those kind of people, and I can help save a life, she said.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has announced it will test blood donors for COVID-19 antibodies for donations made from now through August. The test will be free for blood donors and the results will be mailed within two weeks, according to STB&TC. Donors can receive a Chick-fil-A voucher, an entry into a drawing for a two-year lease on a 2020 Ford Mustang from Jordan Ford, and a thank you gift from an online donor store. Sign up The drive will be located at the Battle for Texas lobby just below H&M. Staff and donors will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing, according to STB&TC.

SAN ANTONIO Layoffs of about 100 employees were announced Friday by BioBridge Global, the nonprofit parent of the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, QualTex Laboratories, GenCure and The Blood & Tissue Center Foundation. According to a released statement, BioBridge Global has experienced the impact of the pandemic across many areas of its operations. The layoffs represent about 14% of its workforce. The majority of employees affected are within the QualTex Laboratories subsidiary, which provides testing services for blood centers and plasma collection centers across the country, according to the release. According to the release, Fridays layoffs will have little impact on the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.

SAN ANTONIO – According to the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, convalescent plasma is urgently needed in Bexar County to help critically ill patients diagnosed with COVID-19. “We’re shipping out 80 to 100 units of convalescent plasma a day to our local hospitals (with patients) that are critically ill,” Waltman said. John (left) and Deb (right) Almarez donate convalescent plasma on a regular basis since April. The couple has directly impacted up to 100 COVID-19 critically ill patients in San Antonio. According to the STBTC, they’re currently the only organization in South Texas that provides convalescent plasma directly to critically ill patients.

SAN ANTONIO The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center announced Saturday that it had a team member test positive for COVID-19. The last dates the infected teammate worked were on June 13 and June 14 at the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center Northeast Donor Room, located at 8500 Village Drive. Waltman and Beddards statement said blood donations typically do not involve continuous close contact between the donor collection staff. Proactive safety measures the center has in place:Requiring staff to wear masks and gloves and providing masks to donors. More information on blood donation and the policies the center has instituted in response to COVID-19 is available at SouthTexasBlood.org.

SAN ANTONIO The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center says plasma donations are needed now more than ever, whether donors have had the coronavirus or not. The STBTC said plasma donations are essential for life-saving medicines for a number of conditions. While plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 can be used to make antibodies for other patients, plasma from healthy donors is desperately needed to treat people with serious or rare diseases, which often have few other treatment options. For more information, or to make an appointment to donate, click here. RELATED: San Antonio doctor who survived COVID-19 saving lives with his plasma

SAN ANTONIO – With the ongoing need for blood donations, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is offering a new and different incentive for your donation -- free antibody testing for COVID-19. Monday was the first day for free antibody testing for blood donors. RELATED: If you donate blood at the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, you can get a free COVID-19 antibody test"I try to regularly donate blood," said Paul Yoder. Yoder was one of the hundreds of donors who made it out to the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center on Monday. Elizabeth Waltman, chief operating officer of the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, said antibody tests are important to find those donors who can help others who have the virus.

SAN ANTONIO – As a way to say “thank you” to blood donors, the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is providing free antibody testing for COVID-19 for all blood donors this summer. The free antibody tests will be available to blood donors beginning Monday, June 8, through August 31. RELATED: Who should get a COVID-19 antibody test? The antibody test isn’t meant for those that are experiencing symptoms of the virus or believe they may be infected. RELATED: What can a COVID-19 antibody test tell us?

Published: May 19, 2020, 10:32 pm Updated: May 21, 2020, 7:05 amSAN ANTONIO – The Double Down Blood Drive kicks off Thursday to give people two chances to do some good during one event. For every blood donation made at the event, the Silverado Event Center will donate $5 to the San Antonio Food Bank. City leaders urge residents to donate blood, plasma for COVID-19 patientsThe blood drive will run Thursday through Saturday at the Alamodome. The South Texas Blood and Tissue is making it easy by allowing participants to set up appointments online at southtexasblood.org. Those who donate blood may receive an H-E-B gift card.

'We are in a shortage': South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in critical need of donationsVictor Castillo, 32, sets up Michelle Martinez, 36, who is donating blood Tuesday, March 17, 2020. The city and South Texas Blood and Tissue Center are holding a three-day blood drive at the Alamodome from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 21-23. less Victor Castillo, 32, sets up Michelle Martinez, 36, who is donating blood Tuesday, March 17, 2020. The city and South Texas Blood and Tissue Center are holding a three-day blood drive at the Alamodome from 9 ... more Photo: Jerry Lara /Staff Photographer Photo: Jerry Lara /Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close 'We are in a shortage': South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in critical need of donations 1 / 1 Back to GalleryThe South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is running low on its blood supply, a cause for concern now that non-emergency surgeries are happening again, the center's chief operating officer said Sunday during the City of San Antonio's COVID-19 briefing. The center estimates it needs 500 donors a day to keep up with the current demand for South Texas patients. I encourage everyone to support our neighbors by donating during the Alamodome blood drive.

Blood types O negative and positive urgently needed in San Antonio hospitalsPublished: April 19, 2020, 5:44 pmThe South Texas Blood and Tissue Centers says donors with blood types O-negative and O-positive are urgently needed to help supply hospitals.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has a message for folks who have scheduled an appointment to donate blood -- keep that appointment. Officials said once you’ve made an appointment, do all you can to be there. “We’re trying to keep up with hospital needs,” Roger Ruiz, a spokesman for the center, said. "(We’re trying to keep) 10 to 15 days supply of blood on the shelves. The center has five locations in San Antonio and one in New Braunfels.

Donating blood is exempted from San Antonio's Stay Home, Work Safe order, as it's deemed an "essential city service. From local politics and culture to national news that hits close to home, San Antonio Current has been keeping San Antonio informed for years. Its never been more important to support local news sources. If quality journalism is important to you, please consider a donation to San Antonio Current. Every reader contribution is valuable and so appreciated, and goes directly to support our coverage of critical issues and neighborhood culture.

Blood supply dramatically impacted by coronavirus fearsPublished: March 17, 2020, 6:39 pmAware that potential donors these days need reassurance it’s safe to give blood, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has taken extra precautions during its blood drive that wraps up Wednesday.

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center holding blood drive amid critical shortagePublished: March 17, 2020, 5:18 pmAs the coronavirus pandemic continues, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is holding a blood drive to keep up with demand

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center holding blood drive at AlamodomePublished: March 17, 2020, 5:13 pmAs the coronavirus pandemic continues, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is holding a blood drive to keep up with demand

San Antonio officials urge public to donate blood during coronavirus pandemicThe South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in San Antonio put out a call on Saturday, March 14, 2020, for more blood donations. Blood drives have been canceled amid fears about the coronavirus pandemic. The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in San Antonio put out a call on Saturday, March 14, 2020, for more blood donations. Photo: Marvin Pfeiffer /Staff Photographer Photo: Marvin Pfeiffer /Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 69 Caption Close San Antonio officials urge public to donate blood during coronavirus pandemic 1 / 69 Back to GalleryOfficials are calling on the public to donate blood as the coronavirus outbreak has caused blood drive cancellations and fewer donors. The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center put out the call during a news conference Saturday, warning blood supplies are nearing critically low levels.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center (STBTC) issued an emergency appeal for blood donations on Friday, hoping for 2,400 donors before Sunday to boost its dangerously low inventory. These donors make up just 7 percent of the population, but 12 percent of blood orders from South Texas hospitals are for O-negative blood. After O-negative, Waltman said, the most sought-after donation is O-positive blood, followed by donations of platelets or plasma from people with blood types A or B. Anyone wishing to donate blood at either STBTC or University Hospital must present identification. A readily available blood supply is a public safety imperative, Waltman said.

This summer, the blood supply for dogs has been especially low. Just like humans, our four-legged friends count on blood supply donations when they experience trauma or need surgery. Local veterinarian Dr. Leslie Bauer, with Emergency Pet Clinic, said pet emergency hospitals count on bags of blood that are shipped to them from three dog blood banks in the country. A donor dogs blood is also tested to make sure the animal is disease-free. Bauer said it's preferred to use dogs with negative blood types to increase the blood supply.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is still trying to bring in hundreds of blood donors before the Labor Day holiday, but humans aren't the only ones facing this issue. Man's best friend is also... Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center said even though locally the blood supply isnt as high as it needs to be, the national shortage still impacts the area. When a KSAT News crew walked into the Donor Pavilion at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center on Thursday afternoon, all but one bed was empty. There are still patients that need blood because they have cancer or they can have accidents," Gomez said. During the summertime, typically, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has lower amounts of donations. We see a 20% decline in blood donations during the summer, said Roger Ruiz, with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.