Blood drives scheduled

South Texas Blood & Tissue has partnered with participating organizations in the area to help boost the community blood supply.

Bandera High School is hosting a blood drive at its 474 Old San Antonio Hwy location on Thursday, Feb. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

A Kerrville-area event will be held Peak Fitness on Monday, Feb. 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Peak Fitness is located at 1337 Bandera Hwy.

Community members are encouraged to help by becoming blood donors and heroes to patients in need. An appointment can be made by visiting South-TexasBlood.org or calling 210-731-5590.

Donors will receive a blood donor T-shirt.

Patients in more than 100 hospitals and clinics in South Texas, including the Hill Country, rely on the generous hearts of blood donors regularly.

Even during a shortage, patients need blood to for surgery, those who need blood as part of their regular cancer treatments, newborns and their mothers, and many other patients.

Many patients needing blood transfusions regularly are cancer patients like William, a teacher and cheer coach who is battling cancer for a second time. More than 30 percent of donated blood is used by cancer patients like William.