Houstonians roll up their sleeves to help Gulf Coast Blood meet demand for donations

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houstonians again showed up for each other by sharing the gift of life during the annual ABC13 Blood Drive.

Eyewitness News partnered with Gulf Coast Blood in honor of the center's mission to meet local demand, which takes about 1,000 blood donations per day.

According to Gulf Coast Blood, 57 successful donors contributed, in turn saving 171 lives. This marked the biggest blood drive at the station since 2018.

All blood donations stay in our community and for good reason.

They go toward helping people like Rachel Rocker's son, Bentley.

Bentley, who recently turned 4 years old, has a rare blood condition that requires him to receive ongoing transfusions.

"He was diagnosed with Diamond-Blackfan Anemia when he was 2 years old. His blood marrow doesn't create enough blood cells to sustain his life, so he gets blood transfusions to make up for it. He's had 26 in four years," Rocker explained.

"They are our heroes," Rocker said of blood donors. "They are the reason that we have our son here with us."

"It's easy enough and a good way to help the community." Donors share their reasons for wanting to support those in need of blood.

Donors told us they were equally grateful to be able to give.

ABC13 viewer Fermin Flores said he's donated blood since the '70s.

"Just trying to help people. It's easy enough and a good way to help the community," Flores said. "You think, 'Oh, it's Houston. There will be plenty of people down there,' but there's never enough. Blood is something we need all the time."

Other recipients and their families also stopped by ABC13 in hopes of helping people better understand just how far their donations go.

Brooke Raish's daughter, Posey, was diagnosed with leukemia. She tells ABC13 that when they arrived with her at the hospital, they were told she needed a blood transfusion.

"She was listless, she was barely speaking. Her color was off," Raish shared, adding that it was a blood transfusion that allowed her daughter to bounce back.

Still, Posey would find herself needing transfusions again after cranial radiation led to a side effect that caused her to stop eating, drinking, or doing anything but sleeping.

Doctors realized it was because her immune system was depleted.

"At the end of her journey, blood transfusions saved her life again, and within a day, she was feeling much better, had pep, was speaking again," Raish said of Posey. "So we started with the transfusions, and we ended with them, and we're just so grateful for everyone who has donated."

Posey rang the bell in 2023.

Recipients and their families stopped by ABC13 in hopes of helping people better understand just how far their blood donations go.

Recipient Iris Karami also shared her experience with needing a blood transfusion after being diagnosed with scoliosis.

"If it wasn't for a blood transfusion on the spot, I wouldn't have made it through that surgery," Karami explained. "Given that I was only about 12 or 13 years old, I don't know what the future of my life would have looked like or if I would have had a future without that transfusion."

Karami has since recovered.

Even if you couldn't make it out to the ABC13 Blood Drive, you can still donate.

Gulf Coast Blood has 18 donor centers - permanent donation sites in communities throughout southeast Texas.

You can find all of the locations on their website.

If you give blood at your nearest donor center, be sure to credit and mention ABC13.

How do I know if I'm eligible to give blood?

The following requirements are for all blood and blood component donors:

- Must be 17 years or older or 16 years* with a parental consent form (*16 year olds are only eligible to donate whole blood).
- Personal identification must be presented at time of donation.
- Must feel well the day of donation.

There are also specific donor requirements for donation types such as whole blood, double red cells, platelets and plasma, which you can view here.

In addition, people once deferred may now be eligible to give, thanks to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changes recommended in 2023.

How do I prepare for my donation?

- Make sure you eat a hearty meal and drink plenty of fluids before you donate.
- Get a good night's sleep the night before your donation.
- Complete your health questionnaire.

Gulf Coast Blood also has extensive materials to help prepare first time donors, including what to expect before, during, and after the donation.

Find that information on their preparation page.

Fast facts about Gulf Coast Blood

- Gulf Coast Blood is the only blood provider to Houston and its surrounding communities 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- U.S. blood donors are unpaid volunteers and each donation supports critical care such as surgeries, cancer treatments, and emergency procedures.
- Gulf Coast Blood has served the community since Jan. 1, 1975.
- The non-profit 501c3 is not affiliated with the American Red Cross.
- Gulf Coast Blood is one of the largest community blood centers in the country, supporting more than 170 hospitals across 26 counties, including the Texas Medical Center.

In addition to the above, Gulf Coast Blood opened a new donor center in the Texas Medical Center in 2025, with plans to open two additional donor centers in 2026.

You can read more about the organization's 2025 impact and plans for 2026 here.