Blood: It runs through our veins, keeping us alive.

We don’t think about it daily, nor do we realize just how important it is.But to someone who is seriously injured, has cancer or has some other medical emergency, this common component found in all of us may be the difference between life and death.For former Times News editor, Bob Urban, blood donations saved his life not once, but twice.“When I was 26, I passed out at home,” the former Coaldale and Summit Hill native said.Urban, who was working at the Pottstown Mercury at the time, was rushed to the hospital and learned that he had a duodenal ulcer that had burst.“I was in bad shape,” he said.After a few days in the intensive care unit, Urban underwent surgery to correct the problem.During that surgery, he received 11 pints of blood through transfusion.“The rule at the hospital at that time was if you received one transfusion, you had to replace it with two donations,” Urban said. “I owed 22 pints of blood. Thankfully, the people at the Mercury did a blood drive and easily raised that much for me.“I’m eternally grateful because it really saved my life.”Now, fast forward nearly four decades.Urban, who was then the editor of the Times News, was continuing to pay it forward by rolling up his sleeve and donating every time Miller-Keystone Blood Center held a drive at the Times News.“I always had been a blood donor at the Times News (blood drives) and like every other time, I went out to the bus to donate,” he said.But this time was different.“The nurse who was taking my vitals before I donated looked at my arm, and I had a very small growth on it,” Urban said. “She said I should get it checked out, so I made an appointment with my doctor and she did some tests and sent out a sample.”Shortly after, Urban learned he had stage 4 melanoma on his arm — not a diagnosis he ever expected.He went to Lehigh Valley Hospital and doctors there were able to cut it all out. They also took a skin graft from his leg to replace the removed tissue.“Donating blood really saved my life,” Urban said. “If I wouldn’t have gone to that bloodmobile that day, God only knows how long it would have been before they found it.“To this day, I don’t know the nurse’s name, but I can say she saved my life.”Urban credits the staff of blood drives, as well as everyone who makes the conscious choice to donate blood for saving him in his times of need.He said that unfortunately, he can no longer donate due to current medication he is taking, but stressed the importance of donating blood if you are able.“I can seen how bloodmobiles are hurting now with the weather and people being sick, but it is important to remember this small act may help save someone’s life.”