When 25% of blood donors leave for spring break, local patients feel it
In March, backpacks temporarily disappear from high school classrooms. What disappears with them is nearly one out of every four blood donors. Carter BloodCare urges Texans to donate in their place.
DALLAS-FORT WORTH – March 12, 2026 – About 25% of Carter BloodCare’s blood supply comes from high school blood drives. When student donors leave for spring break, that steady stream of donations pauses almost overnight. But hospital demand does not.
Carter BloodCare must collect roughly 1,600 donors every day to supply more than 225 hospitals across 59 Texas counties. When student blood drives pause, that daily goal becomes dramatically harder to meet.
“If we wait until we’re in critical need, we’re already behind,” said Carter BloodCare Spokesperson Ashley Claster. “We see this drop coming every year. The only way to prevent shortages is to act before they happen.”
Spring break is one of the most predictable dips in the Texas blood supply. In a matter of days, thousands of potential donations can be lost. Trauma centers, cancer units and operating rooms continue working at full speed.
Rather than reacting to a shortage, Carter BloodCare is asking Texans to donate now to prevent one. Every donation can help save up to three lives. Blood donated through Carter BloodCare support patients in the same communities where donors live, work and travel.
To thank donors who step up during this seasonal gap:
Now through March 22, 2026, Carter BloodCare donors will receive a green St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt reading: “We’re ‘Dublin Down’ on saving lives this St. Patrick’s Day.”
Also in March and April 2026, each Carter BloodCare donor will receive a quilted tote bag, ideal for spring trips and everyday use.
“Spring break plans are exciting,” Claster said. “But hospital patients don’t get a break from needing blood. An hour of your time now can prevent canceled procedures later.”
Eligible donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and can donate with Carter BloodCare starting at age 16 with parental consent; those 17 and older may donate independently. There is no upper age limit.
To find a nearby Carter BloodCare donation location, visit CarterBloodCare.org or call 800-366-2834.
About Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare is an independent community blood center providing transfusion resources to more than 225 medical facilities in 59 counties of North, Central and East Texas. Since its start in 1951, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization has become one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 450,000 blood products annually to meet hospitals’ requirements for their patients. Services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage, and distribution of blood and blood products. Tu centro de sangre comunitario.
