University Health Takes Blood Donation on the Road
Toyota Texas employees roll up their sleeves every day to assemble Tundras and Sequoias, but today they did it for a new mission: to help save lives by being the inaugural donors in University Health’s first mobile blood donation bus.
Toyota Texas and University Health Foundation joined forces to launch this new mobile health unit, which will greatly increase needed contributions. University Health has previously collected donor blood at its main hospital and through indoor events. The 45-foot bus will enable the team to reach community organizations throughout the city that do not have large interior areas for staging blood drives, increasing access for members of the community who may not be able to travel to the hospital or another donation site. It is designed so that four donors can give blood at the same time, and as many as 10 can donate in an hour.
Community partners make a healthy difference
“Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond vehicles,” said Rob Franklin, Toyota Texas vice president of administration and general manager of production control. “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 and by being its first donation stop. This mobile health unit is an example of how together, we can help remove accessibility barriers, serve more people in our community and save lives. It’s a milestone for our community.”
Sara M. Alger, president of University Health Foundation, said the mobile blood unit is a great example of philanthropy at work.
“University Health Foundation is proud to partner with Toyota Texas to make a difference in the health and well-being of our community,” said Alger. “We look forward to seeing the bus reach neighborhoods across the city, especially those that haven’t had the mobility to donate blood before. We hope the bus empowers them to give blood and save lives.”
Critical need for blood
University Hospital, with its Level I trauma center, is the largest user of blood in the San Antonio area. We are equipped to treat the most severely injured patients and stand ready to respond to mass casualties. We also require a steady and ample blood supply for organ transplants, heart procedures and high-risk pregnancies with excessive bleeding. We have a strong relationship with the regional blood bank, but we could not serve the needs of all our patients without volunteers who give through our own Blood Donor Services.
The impact of one recent emergency underscores the importance of consistent blood donations. While an average adult has about 10 units of blood, a badly injured patient in September needed more than 150 units of a commonly transfused blood type. Providing that care greatly depleted our reserve of that blood product which we are still replenishing. Our loyal donors are essential in our maintaining an adequate supply to respond to unforeseen emergencies like this one.
Blood donors save multiple lives
Each and every donation is vital – it can save three lives since a single donor can provide multiple blood products. Organizations that want to join Toyota in hosting the mobile donor bus for a blood drive can contact the University Health team at 210-358-2812 or blood.drives@uhtx.com.
About University Health
University Health is the only locally owned health system in San Antonio. For more than 100 years, University Health has been here to heal, improve health, train the next generation of medical professionals and ensure the people of San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas have access to primary and advanced specialty care close to home. Specialized services include the region’s only Level I trauma center for both adults and children, and maternal and neonatal intensive care centers designated at the highest levels by the State of Texas. As the region’s only academic health system, University Health is a hub of innovation and discovery, committed to delivering patient-centered, culturally competent, high-quality and compassionate care, based on a strong foundation of outcomes‐based research and innovative teaching. Learn more at UniversityHealth.com
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 30 electrified options.
To help inspire the next generation for careers in advanced manufacturing, Toyota launched its in-person tour booking platform and virtual tour experience at www.TourToyota.com allowing guests to schedule a live tour to see several of our U.S. manufacturing facilities in action or visit all plants virtually from anywhere around the globe.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
