On this episode of Third Coast Vein, I am joined by Bonnie and Miss Marla as we discuss TARS Thrombocytopenia with Absent Radius Syndrome a rare genetic disorder that affects both the bones and the blood. TARS is characterized by the absence of the radius bone in both arms and a significantly low platelet count, often requiring ongoing medical support.

This episode is an opportunity to bring awareness to TARS within our community and to highlight the direct connection to blood donation. Individuals affected by TARS frequently require platelet transfusions sometimes consistently and, in many cases, throughout their lives. We are honored to speak with Emma’s mother, who shares her family’s journey navigating TARS and the critical role that platelet donations have played in Emma’s life. Her story is a powerful reminder of why blood donation matters and how one donation can make a lasting impact.

Join us as we learn more about TARS, hear from our incredible guests, and continue spreading awareness about the lifesaving importance of donating blood.

WE ARE HUNTING FOR YOU!

Join us for a special episode highlighting our 13th Annual Hunting for Donors event, happening Saturday, November 22nd from 9 am to 5 pm at Cavender's Boot City.

In this episode, our recruiter Hannah Gwosdz sits down with me to talk about all things Hunting for Donors from what you can expect at this year's event tot he current need for blood in our community and so much more exciting news.

Tune in, share, and help us spread the word. Every listener makes a difference.

Our Need For Life Blood Drive is happening this weekend August 23rd at Sam's Club and we could not be more excited! This year, we're kicking off a football themed blood drive full of energy, fun, and incredible giveaways. On this episode we sit down with recruiter Hannah Gwosdz to talk about all things Need For Life blood drive and the need for blood in our community.

Prizes include:

-Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Texas A&M and UT tickets. Turtle Box Range speaker, $100 Walmart gift card and so much more!

Tune in get excited and join us in making a life-saving difference this weekend!

It's time to roll up your sleeves and rock out for a great cause! Our Rock and Roll Summer Blood Drive is happening soon and wraps up with a grand finale event on June 28th at Cavender's Boot City from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tune in as we speak to donor recruiter Alyssa Gonzalez who breaks down why now is the time to donate and how you can make a difference.

Tune in. Tell a friend. Most importantly, DONATE LIFE!

In this episode, we are gearing up for one of our favorite annual events, Battle of the Breweries happening this Saturday, June 14th. Which also happens to be World Blood Donor Day!

We 're joined by two awesome guests and friends of the podcast; Jessica from Lazy Beach and Chris from B&J'S Pizza. Tune in as we dive into what's new at their breweries, what you can expect at this year's Battle of the Breweries and why it is the perfect day to celebrate saving lives!

Listen to our latest episode where we speak to Elma Hvorcik, In house education coordinator for the Blood Center. She dives into the importance of donating platelets in our community. As well as the awesome monthly incentives when donating platelets and much more!

In other exciting news, we are thrilled that our podcast has made it to the top 5 finalist for the Local's List 2025 under Best Podcast. We kindly ask for your vote. You can click on the link below to vote. We appreciate you!

bit.ly/VoteThirdCoastVeinPodcast

It's that time again, we have gone fishing for YOU, DONORS! We are hosting our 11th Annual Fishing For Donors blood drive. In this episode, we will be talking to Elizabeth and discussing numerous incentives for donating at this event along with the current need in our community and much more. Be sure to subscribe to hear all the latest news and updates from your local Blood Center.

It is officially the holiday season and we are kicking it off with our annual Hunting for Donors blood drive. Unfortunately the holidays for us at the Blood Center means an incline in tragedies and a decline in blood donations. On this episode you will hear from one of our Donor Recruiters, Hannah Halepaska. She will speak about how you can help us reach our goal of 500 donors the week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday and so much more. We hope you enjoy and do not forget to subscribe to our podcast.

This Placenta Accreta Awareness Month, we are joined by survivor and advocate Jessica Reyes. She shares her journey and hopes to inspire others to donate blood. We are grateful for her and her baby girl Sophia's story and hope it encourages others to begin their blood donation journey.

It's finally here Football Season! We have the ultimate sporting blood drive event happening Saturday, August 24th at Mattress Firm in Moore Plaza. It is all happening from 9 am to 5 pm. All donors will be entered to win some of the coolest prizes such as 2 tickets to the Cowboys/Texans game, 2 tickets to the Red River Rivalry football game, 4 field-level Houston Astros tickets and so much more. You do not want to miss out on these prizes, but most importantly you are saving lives in your very own community! We will see you then.