CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coastal Bend Blood Center hopes to lure people into rolling up their sleeves at their Fishin' for Donors event on Saturday.
The blood drive is timed for the increased demand for blood that comes with the Spring Break period that's about to begin, and it comes at a time in which the center's blood supply is low.
The same can be said for the supply of convalescent plasma -- plasma removed from a recovered COVID-19 patient used to treat current patients.
While those donations won't take place at the blood drive, blood center leaders hope recovered patients will set-up appointments to donate at their facility.
"If you have recovered from COVID-19 we highly encourage you to give us a call or visit our website to see if you are eligible," blood center head of public relations Ashley Ramirez said. "Because there are so many people -- it’s an overwhelming number of people in our hospitals that are still battling this horrific virus."
Corpus Christi resident Adam Hankins has avoided getting infected by the novel coronavirus.
But if he did catch it and recover from it, he says he would not hesitate to donate his plasma.
"If you have been exposed to the virus and you have built up an immunity that’s something you should definitely try to help other people with," he said,
When it comes to donating blood, The Texas A&M Corpus Christi professor estimates that he does it twice a year.
And that's not all.
“I’ve been telling a lot of my students to donate as well," Hankins said.
The Coastal Bend Blood Center hopes they'll listen, come to the blood drive, and then make donating blood a habit.
"You can donate whole blood every 56 days," Ramirez said. "That would make a world of a difference for your blood center. I don’t think some people realize the vital role they play as blood donors in our community, because they are our true local heroes."
Fishin' for Donors runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday in the parking lot of the Cavender's store on South Padre Island Drive.
Donors will receive free food and will be entered into a raffle for a chance at winning a number of prizes.
For more information on the blood drive or donating convalescent plasma, visit the blood center's website.
