Popular Categories


Mayah Zamora meets lifesaving blood donors


Mayah Zamora speaks to news media following her meetings with blood donors, as her parents Christina and Ruben look on.

Mayah Zamora, 10, a survivor of the Robb Elementary School shooting, along with her parents, got to meet blood donors from transfusions that helped save the injured child’s life on Saturday as South Texas Blood and Tissue marked the fifth anniversary of their whole-blood donor program.

Christina and Ruben Zamora have met and thanked everyone from emergency medical technicians to trauma surgeons involved in the care of their daughter Mayah, who was injured in the May 24, 2022, shooting.

But Saturday was the first time for them to meet those who gave blood, including a 17-year-old girl whose first-ever donation was used as part of the emergency treatment.

“We’re forever grateful to the people who saved my life,” Mayah said, “and I hope my story will let people know how important donating blood is to saving lives.”

Among the donors at the event whose blood helped Mayah was 17-year-old Adrianna Garcia, whose donation at a drive at Poteet High School was her first. Mayah and her family also got to meet donors Larry Whatley, who has been giving blood since 1976, and Sylvia Enriquez. Mayah received specially screened blood from the South Texas Blood and Tissue Heroes in Arms program, which supplies emergency responders with blood that can be transfused to any patient in emergency trauma situations, as opposed to once the patient reaches the hospital. She also received O-negative blood, which is given in many cases to pediatric patients.

“What we’re seeing here today is living proof that this program makes a difference,” said Dr. Ronald M. Stewart, a surgeon at University Health’s Level I trauma center and chair of the department of surgery at UT Health San Antonio.

Stewart told Mayah’s parents that she survived the helicopter trip to University Hospital’s trauma center because of blood transfusions. As a result, the Zamoras have become strong advocates for blood donations.

Mayah Zamora takes a selfie with Adrianna Garcia, whose first-ever blood donation was used while treating Zamora following the shootings at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022.

“You’ve got to make something good out of something so bad,” Christina Zamora said. “This is something that is part of the good that she can do.”

Ruben Zamora encouraged people across South Texas to donate.

“I’m going to be the second one in my family to give blood, and I’m terrified, but Mayah said she would hold my hand,” he said.

Adrienne Mendoza, chief operating officer, South Texas Blood and Tissue, highlighted the need for blood at all times.

“Mayah’s story, for us, is a powerful symbol of the need for all kinds of donors and the need for donors to continue to give blood,” she said. “We hope people realize the need.

“It was the blood given by generous donors in the days ahead of Uvalde that was ready for Mayah that tragic day,” she said. “By becoming a regular blood donor and giving four times a year, you’ll help our community be ready at any time for any tragedy or need.”

The meeting between the 10-year-old patient and some of her blood donors was part of a transformative day for Heroes in Arms, the first civilian program in the country designed to save lives through blood donation in emergency vehicles.

Saturday marked the re-branding of the program, which launched five years ago as Brothers in Arms, seeking male donors with type O-positive blood and low levels of certain antibodies. A combination of greater demand and new screening has allowed South Texas Blood and Tissue to open the program to certain female donors – hence, the name change to Heroes in Arms.

The program provides whole blood to emergency responders and follows research by the U.S. Army showing improved survival rates for trauma patients who were transfused whole blood, as opposed to blood that has been separated into its three major components, plasma, platelets and red cells.

A study published in the Annals of Surgery journal last year confirmed the statistics from the military.

“Compared with BCT [blood component therapy] the use of WB [whole blood] was associated with a 48 percent reduction in mortality in trauma patients,” the study concluded. “Our study supports the use of WB use in the resuscitation of trauma patients.”

The whole blood program was launched in conjunction with the South Texas Regional Advisory Council, which coordinates emergency care in 22 counties, and major medical helicopter services. It since has expanded to the city’s two level 1 trauma centers, University Hospital and San Antonio Military Medical Center, as well as San Antonio Fire Department units, and hospitals and EMS services throughout the region.

The concept of whole-blood transfusion was pioneered in South Texas by Dr. Donald Jenkins, who worked on a similar program for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and a pilot program at the Mayo Clinic before coming to University Health System and UT Health San Antonio. 

In one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, the demand for blood in trauma situations has created a need for an expanded donor pool to join this program. 

Women who have never been pregnant and have low levels of certain antibodies are eligible to be Heroes in Arms donors, as pregnancy tends to produce higher levels of antibodies.

For more information, call 210-731-5590 or visit SouthTexasBlood.org.