In October, we proudly celebrated the maiden voyage of the University Health Blood Donation Bus, powered by University Health Foundation and Toyota Texas. This new, state-of-the-art mobile unit is bringing more opportunities for our neighbors to give back in a life-saving way.
This innovative, 45-foot bus accommodates up to four donors simultaneously and can handle up to 10 donors per hour. Our mobile unit will allow us to reach neighborhoods and organizations that lack indoor space for traditional blood drives and making donating blood easier for those who lack access to a vehicle.
Our blood bus will help us meet the vital blood needs in our region. University Health is the largest user of blood products in South Texas and relies on community support to ensure we can respond to urgent medical needs, such as organ transplants, heart procedures and high-risk pregnancies.
Sara M. Alger, president of University Health Foundation, sees this mobile blood unit as a shining example of philanthropy at work.
"We are proud to partner with Toyota Texas to make a difference in the health and well-being of our community. We look forward to seeing the bus reach neighborhoods across the city, especially those without the mobility to donate blood. We hope the bus removes that barrier, empowers them to give blood and helps save lives,” says Alger.
Toyota Texas fueled this effort through its commitment to community impact and was the mobile unit's first stop.
Rob Franklin, Toyota Texas's vice president of administration and general manager of production control, said, "Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond vehicles. It's about providing universal, inclusive and accessible mobility solutions for all. In that spirit, Toyota Texas is proud to support University Health's new blood donation and transport bus by being its first donation stop. This mobile health unit is an example of how we can help remove accessibility barriers, serve more people in our community and save lives. It's a milestone for our community."
With our mobile blood unit, University Health is better equipped to maintain a steady and accessible blood supply to respond to emergencies and provide routine care. The bus also makes it possible to deliver blood to emergency situations quickly.
We invite you to take advantage of the convenience of the blood donation bus. It recently stopped at Brooks, making donating blood easier for San Antonio's South Side residents. If your organization is interested in hosting our blood bus, please contact our Blood Donor Services team at 210-358-2812 or blood.drives@uhtx.com. You can also schedule a blood donation online at DonateBloodToday.com.
