San Antonio blood bank sees summer donation drop
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South Texas Blood & Tissue is asking San Antonians to roll up their sleeves during a summer slump in donations.
Why it matters: The U.S. blood supply has reached crisis levels, prompting the American Red Cross and the surgeon general to urge Americans to donate before shortages delay surgeries, trauma care and other lifesaving treatments.
- Blood donations fell to a four-year summer low in 2026, the Red Cross said last week, adding it has "less than a one-day national supply of type O positive blood" — the most commonly transfused blood type — and is limiting distributions of type O blood to hospitals.
Zoom in: The San Antonio-based South Texas Blood & Tissue, which isn't affiliated with the Red Cross, serves 49 counties and about 111 hospitals and clinics, covering a wide-ranging area from Del Rio to the outskirts of Houston. While donations typically drop in the summer, they have fallen even more this year, spokesperson Roger Ruiz tells Axios.
- They can sometimes rely on help from other blood banks, but with a dire national shortage this year, they simply need more locals to donate blood, Ruiz says.
What they're saying: "We've seen blood shortages before, but this time, for some reason, it's been amped and it's at a higher level now," Ruiz says.
- As the region's population grows and new hospitals open, the demand for blood has only grown, he adds.
- The Red Cross attributes the low turnout of donations to extreme heat, bad air quality and "widespread foodborne illnesses" hitting the country.
By the numbers: The South Texas organization typically needs about 600 pints of blood per day to adequately supply hospitals, Ruiz says. This summer, they have been averaging about 300–350 pints per day.
Stunning stat: Less than 3% of the eligible donor population typically gives blood, per Ruiz.
Threat level: Blood products are essential to cancer care. Many patients — especially those with leukemia and lymphoma — rely on routine transfusions, and blood is also needed for surgeries and emergencies, per MD Anderson.
To draw in donors, South Texas Blood & Tissue is offering some incentives:
- Donate blood through Friday and receive two free Santikos movie tickets.
- Head to a drive at Wonderland of the Americas, 10am–6pm Friday, for a chance to win an autographed guitar.
- Donate by Sunday for a chance to win tickets to either Guns N' Roses or Iron Maiden at the Alamodome in September.
What's next: Ruiz says that as schools return this fall, regular blood drive events can start back up.
Go deeper: South Texas Blood & Tissue has nine donation centers in the San Antonio area and one in Victoria.