Plenty of reasons to roll up your sleeve

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- On Friday, people of all walks of life came out to the ABC-13 parking lot to donate blood during our annual blood drive.

Many people, like viewer Lewis Chandler, make giving blood a regular habit.

"Sometimes you have to get up in the morning and do something right for somebody else," Chandler said.

Several ABC-13 employees also rolled up their sleeves to add to the supply.

"Twenty-five minutes to save multiple lives... it's an easy thing to do, helps trauma patients too, so it's worth it," ABC 13 photographer Andre Dorsey said.

The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is building up its supply to prevent a shortage during the Spring Break Holiday.

"Spring break is a time where we do need blood a little bit more, because the time for surgeries goes up because kids aren't in school and parents tend to schedule surgeries around this time," Natali Fuller of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center explained.

Every type of blood is needed, and each donation can save up to three lives. Ashley Cardenas knows first-hand the importance of donating blood. Her two-year old daughter Audrina, was born with her heart outside her chest cavity, and blood transfusions during multiple surgeries helped keep her alive.

"I want to encourage people to come out here and donate blood for reasons like Audrina," Cardenas said. "You never know when it could be you or one of your family members in need."

To keep a healthy blood supply at the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, one thousand donations per day is needed. Each of those donations stays right here in the 26-county Southeast Texas Region.