By: Shasha Granado

In 2019, Aidan Salazar received shocking news. His eight-year-old little brother was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a potentially fatal cancer affecting blood and bone marrow.

Because of the American Red Cross, his brother was able to receive the necessary blood units during his treatment. This experience made Salazar deeply aware of the crucial role blood donations play, inspiring him to find a way to give back to the community.

Salazar is now a student at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. Inspired by his family’s story, the university’s dean of athletics and the baseball coach encouraged him to apply to the Red Cross Más Vida Advocate program. This program involves Latino students in life-saving blood collection efforts on Hispanic Serving Institution campuses.

“I went through numerous interviews and was selected from about 300 applicants from all over the [United States],” Salazar recalls.

Getting accepted into the program was a full-circle moment for Salazar. He wanted to return to his campus and start a club that organized Red Cross blood drives for his classmates and the community.

“At Texas Wesleyan, we have a diverse student body, so my goal is to bring everyone together to make a change and make a difference,” Salazar said. “I get different ethnicities involved and have a diverse donor pool.”

Salazar is one of eight Más Vida Advocates nationwide. They host at least three blood drives each school year on their college campuses. They aim to recruit 125 donors at on-campus blood drives or other Red Cross drives, with 30% to 40% of donations coming from Latino and Hispanic donors.

“The biggest challenge is addressing people’s fears, as many do not understand what a blood drive entails or what it’s like to donate,” Salazar said.

Having access to Red Cross resources helped him educate, spread awareness and stress the importance of individuals of all ages and backgrounds donating blood. It also helps them feel more comfortable about the blood donation process.

Since becoming a Más Vida Advocate in 2024, Salazar has successfully held three blood drives on campus, collecting more than 125 donations and exceeding his original goal. He hopes to continue increasing donations in the future.

His favorite aspect of being involved in the Red Cross Más Vida and Advocate program is the opportunity to give back to the community and the connections he's made. His work makes it possible for cancer patients, like his brother and others, to receive the lifesaving blood they need.