The socks are designed to remind donors that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is recognized every September by childhood cancer organizations around the world.
Blood donated to the center serves more than 170 hospitals and health care institutions in the 26-county Texas Gulf Coast, Brazos Valley and East Texas regions, according to the Gulf Coast webpage.
Children suffering from cancer will also be recipients of the blood donations.
“So, a lot of times, when kids are going through their chemotherapy and to sustain their ability to be able to receive chemo treatment, those kids have to receive blood transfusions to normalize their levels and their body to give them energy to be able to receive chemotherapy,” said Kellye Moran, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center media coordinator.
Throughout September and beyond, the blood center will continue to host dozens of blood drives at neighborhood donor centers and through its mobile drives, a list of which can be found here.
It should be noted, however, that while double red cells, plasma, and whole blood donations can be made through mobile drives, specific platelet donations can only be made through neighborhood donor centers, Moran said.
