Red Cross puts out call for blood donations after winter weather in Pittsburgh area cancels drives
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Winter weather this January put a freeze on blood drives in Pennsylvania and across the country.
The number of people donating blood to the American Red Cross has fallen by more than 40 percent over the last two decades. Now, there's another urgent plea to help rebuild the blood supply, which is critically low.
"The Red Cross is continuing to experience an emergency blood shortage," said Nicole Roschella with the American Red Cross.
Hundreds of Red Cross blood drives were called off due to the weather, and nearly 15,000 blood and platelet donations have gone uncollected this month.
Roschella said there were 26 cancellations in Pennsylvania and about a dozen in Western Pennsylvania.
The big concern is that empty shelves could force doctors to make tough decisions.
"This could mean that a doctor will delay or postpone an elective surgery. It could mean that doctors have to kind of choose how they're caring for patients differently, and we never want anyone to be in that situation," Roschella said.
All types of blood are needed, but platelets and type O are most urgent.
"We've had to limit distributions of type o to hospitals to make sure that we can kind of spread out the supply and make sure doctors have what they need. That is what they reach for in an emergency," said Roschella.
It's been warming up, and the roads are good, and the Red Cross is urging people to roll up their sleeves in the coming weeks and months.
The Red Cross partnered with the NFL for the fifth year for National Blood Donor Month, and anyone who donates blood by Jan. 31 will be entered for a chance to win a trip to the Super Bowl. In February, every donor gets a $20 gift card.
"It makes you feel so good. It's just an hour of your day and what you are doing is really lifesaving for somebody in the hospital. So, if you're afraid of that little needle prick, I like to think about how that is so small in comparison to what someone else is going through," Roschella said.
The Red Cross has several upcoming blood drives in Western Pennsylvania, including one on Jan. 30 at the YWCA of Westmoreland County and one on Jan. 31 at Greensburg Hose Company #6.
You can make an appointment to give blood or platelets by visiting here or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. You can also find other blood drives near you here.
Vitalant, the exclusive blood donation provider to Allegheny Health Network and UPMC hospitals, was also forced to cancel many blood drives this month.
"Snow and frigid temperatures have caused more than 1,800 blood donations to go uncollected so far this year in Vitalant locations across the country. In our local division alone, 15 blood drives were cancelled resulting in 355 blood donations going uncollected," Vitalant told KDKA-TV.
Vitalant is asking businesses, churches and schools to host drives. People can also make an appointment to donate blood here. Vitalant said people who opt into its donor rewards program are entered to win one of 24 $500 gift cards.
