Pediatric patients and their families met the blood donors whose special blood helped in giving the children a higher chance of survival this week.
The special blood is called low-titer whole blood. Whole blood has all the components in the blood stream—red blood cells, plasma, platelets and various clotting factors that help stop bleeding.
“The whole genesis behind this whole blood program is how can we minimize the number of exposures a child or an adult has,” said Dr. Aaron Abarbanell, chief of pediatric cardiac surgery at University Health and UT Health San Antonio. “If you’re in this really select group of patients, boy, you get an even more important role for kids with congenital heart disease.”
The low-titer blood, meaning blood with low levels of antibodies, gives these children much less of a risk of having a transfusion reaction, according to Abarbanell.
The program began in 2021, when the head of University Health’s blood services program Dr. Leslie Greebon was approached by pediatric cardiovascular surgeons who thought low-titer whole blood would be beneficial for the children who are at risk of transfusion reactions.
“This a really convenient product because it’s kind of an all-in-one deal,” said Greebon. “I think we want to make sure that we continue to provide an excellent product that is beneficial for our patients.”
Ten-month-old Theo Langer was born with a heart condition in March 2023. His mother Jamie Langer said doctors told her she would know when he needed surgery.
“I was like but I won’t (know). I’m not a doctor. I’m a mom,” said Langer. “He will tire so much more, and it’s more he won’t want to eat as much, and they were spot on.”
Dr. Abarbanell performed Theo’s surgery in December, and the low-titer blood contributed to his recovery and less bleeding during the procedure. Langer said her son had two successful surgeries one day apart and she couldn’t be more grateful.
“I said it’s not just his heart that goes in that room; it’s mine.” said Langer. “This little being is so much a part of who I am.”
Henry Davis Jr. works at University Health and became a blood donor in 2016. He said he didn’t know his blood was special until he got a call several years later.
“I didn’t hesitate to come in and donate. They said it was for the babies,” said Davis. “I felt like wow, I can actually contribute to helping ... I felt special.”
Davis was one of the speakers at the Have a Heart Donors appreciation event this week. Donors were able to meet the children and families their blood helped. He said it was so overwhelming to see the babies and see who he was able to help.
Although the families did not know who exactly donated to them, they had the opportunity to meet multiple donors.
“I think there's a benefit to just at least knowing that someone potentially in that room was lifesaving blood for my son,” said Langer. “You actually got to, you know, meet and greet and shake hands and communicate with people who are doing something that is so lifesaving.”
Gabriella Alcorta is a health reporting intern for Texas Public Radio in collaboration with Texas Community Health News through Texas State University's School of Journalism and Mass Communcation and the university’s Translational Health Research Center.
