San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A 10-year-old survivor of the Uvalde school shooting and her parents were able to say thank you to another group of lifesavers — their blood donors — on Saturday as South Texas Blood & Tissue marked the fifth anniversary of a life-saving whole blood donation program.

Christina and Ruben Zamora got together and thanked everyone from paramedics to trauma surgeons involved in the care of their daughter Mayah, who was injured in the Robb Elementary School shooting in May 2022.

However, on Saturday they met for the first time those who had donated the blood, including a 17-year-old girl whose very first donation was being used as part of an emergency treatment.

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

Among the donors at the event whose blood helped save Mayah was 17-year-old Adrianna Garcia, whose donation at a Poteet High School fundraiser was her first. Mayah and her family also met donors Larry Whatley, who has been donating blood since 1976, and Sylvia Enriquez.

Mayah received specially screened blood from the South Texas Blood & Tissue Heroes in Arms program, which provides emergency responders with blood that can be transfused to any patient in acute trauma situations, as opposed to once the patient reaches the hospital. She also received O-negative blood, which in many cases is given to pediatric patients.

“What we’re seeing here today is living proof that this program is making a difference,” said Dr. Ronald M. Stewart, 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 ride to the University Hospital trauma center because of blood transfusions. This has made Christina and Ruben Zamora strong supporters of blood donation.

“You have to make something good out of it…