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San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A 10-year-old survivor of the Uvalde school shooting and her parents got to thank another set of life-savers – her blood donors – on Saturday as South Texas Blood & Tissue marked the fifth anniversary of a lifesaving whole-blood donor program.
Christina and Ruben Zamora have met and thanked everyone from emergency medical technicians to trauma surgeons involved in the care of their daughter Mayah, who was injured in the shooting at Robb Elementary School in May 2022.
But Saturday was the first time for them to meet those who gave the blood, including a 17-year-old girl whose first-ever donation was used as part of emergency treatment.
“We’re forever grateful to the people who saved my life,” Mayah said, “and I hope my story will let people know how important donating blood is to saving lives.”
Among the donors at the event whose blood helped save Mayah was 17-year-old Adrianna Garcia, whose donation at a drive at Poteet High School was her first. Mayah and her family also got to meet donors Larry Whatley, who has been giving blood since 1976, and Sylvia Enriquez.
Mayah received specially screened blood from the South Texas Blood & Tissue Heroes in Arms program, which supplies emergency responders with blood that can be transfused to any patient in emergency trauma situations, as opposed to once the patient reaches the hospital. She also received O-negative blood, which is given in many cases to pediatric patients.
“What we’re seeing here today is living proof that this program makes a difference,” said Dr. Ronald M. Stewart, a surgeon at University Health’s Level I trauma center and Chair of the Department of Surgery at UT Health San Antonio.
Stewart told Mayah’s parents that she survived the helicopter trip to University Hospital’s trauma center because of blood transfusions. As a result, Christina and Ruben Zamora have become strong advocates for blood donations.
“You’ve got to make something good out of…
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