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Hispanics needed to help fulfill needs of South Texas patients
By donateblood in donateblood
August 27, 2010

All ethnicities are always encouraged to donate blood. But in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I’d like to specifically ask the Hispanic community to embrace their ethnicity and use it to help local patients. Here’s why…

The majority of Hispanics are considered universal donors, meaning they have type O blood. Because this blood type can be transfused into a number of different patients and is used in emergency situations, type O donors are extremely important for the community supply.

O negative = universal donor
O positive = most common blood type

By increasing the number of Hispanic donors, STBTC will be better prepared to fulfill the needs of more than 100 hospitals and clinics it serves.

Additionally, tissue types are inherited. That means that if a Hispanic patient requires a specific blood type for transfusion or needs a marrow transplant, the best chance of them finding a suitable match is within the patients own ethnic group.

So give blood and register to be a marrow donor. If you have questions about these processes visit www.southtexasblood.org.