Baylor Staff Nurse Honored by Carter BloodCare as Blood Drive Coordinator of the Year
Former Army/Navy medic Uriah Yarbrough, R.N., recognized for expanding blood donation efforts on campus and across the community
Uriah Yarbrough, R.N. and Jessica Amaro, Carter BloodCare consultant (photo courtesy of Uriah Yarbrough)
Contact: Kelly Craine, 254-297-9065
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WACO, Texas (June 12, 2026) – For Uriah Yarbrough, R.N., staff nurse and outreach coordinator for Baylor University Health Services, coordinating blood drives is about far more than scheduling donors and organizing events – it’s about saving lives. In fact, just one donated unit of blood can help save up to three lives.
That commitment earned Yarbrough recognition as Carter BloodCare’s 2026 Outstanding Blood Drive Coordinator.
Under Yarbrough’s leadership – and as part of efforts to increase life-saving blood donations that impact Baylor’s hometown of Waco, McLennan County and 58 other Texas counties, Baylor University hosted nine blood drives over the past two years, collecting more than 900 units of blood – enough to save nearly 2,700 lives. Yarbrough engages with Baylor’s Student Health Advisory Council in health outreach programs like blood donation drives as well as other health and wellness activities. His impact also extended beyond campus as he helped launch the Baylor vs. TCU blood drive competition in October, expanding awareness and participation across both university communities in Waco and Fort Worth.
Experiencing Yarbrough’s dedication firsthand, Dr. Burritt W. Hess, medical director of Baylor Health Services, is not surprised he was chosen for the honor.
“Uriah sees this blood drive coordination work as a sacred outworking of his ongoing discipleship to Jesus. We're grateful for his example and for his commitment to advocating so faithfully and practically for the need for blood donation in McLennan County,” Dr. Hess said. “We're also deeply grateful to see through the numbers of donated units how enthusiastically and selflessly our amazing Baylor community has embraced these opportunities to save lives and for the faithful witness to the Gospel such giving is.”
Mission to save lives
Yarbrough’s passion for the mission is rooted in personal experience. A former Army and Navy medic who served eight years and deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he understands firsthand the critical need for a reliable blood supply – and the consequences when blood is unavailable in moments of crisis.
“Uriah has a true passion for the mission to help save lives,” said Jessica Amaro, a consultant with Carter BloodCare. “It was evident from the first blood drive he coordinated on campus.”
He faced the challenge with faith and humility.
“When I was asked by the Department of Student Care & Well-being to do these blood drives, I had no idea how to,” Yarbrough said. “I approached the opportunity in prayer and offering, simply wanting to create something that could serve others well and honor God. What began as a hope to collect even a single unit of blood grew into something far greater than I ever imagined.”
Even with the recognition, Yarbrough credits the success of Baylor’s blood drives to the collective generosity of the Baylor community.
“The success of Baylor’s blood drives is truly a reflection of the Baylor community coming together in service to others,” Yarbrough said. “The Holy Spirit is actively working through the hearts of our faculty, staff, students and community partners. This spirit of generosity and charity is what makes these drives possible. At the center of it all is the Spirit of our Lord and a shared desire to serve others well. Baylor students genuinely care about their neighbors, and it shows in their deeds.”
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.
About Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare is an independent community blood center providing transfusion resources in 59 counties of North, Central and East Texas to support more than 225 medical facilities. The nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization is one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 450,000 doses of blood and blood components annually to meet the medical treatment needs of local patients. Services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage and distribution of blood and blood components, as well as cellular therapy and clinical apheresis.