Minority Patients to See Results from Blood Bank Efforts

SAN ANTONIO - September is an important month for minorities to embrace their heritage and use it to help their community. The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center's (STBTC) minority outreach campaigns, We Are the Answer and Donar Sangre es Donar Vida, are encouraging the community to do just that. As a result, patients will be impacted.

By educating and partnering with local diversity groups, more than 2,000 people have been educated about our outreach programs. Minority focused presentations and tours of our labs were given, minority blood drives were held and educational materials were distributed through these partnerships. As a result, 117 donors have been added to our antigen negative match program for patients with sickle cell.

As the minority population in South Texas continues to grow, so must our efforts to increase these imperative donations. This year, STBTC is launching informative Web pages aimed to encourage minorities to help minorities. It addresses myths and misconceptions that discourage minority donations, provides facts and downloadable materials. STBTC is also working to create new partnerships with doctors and other community organizations.

During National Sickle Cell Awareness Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, STBTC is placing a specific focus on encouraging more African-Americans and Hispanics to become donors. To learn more about We Are the Answer, Donar Sangre es Donar Vida and what you can do to help, please call the STBTC Community Relations Department at (210) 731-5520.