Red Cross announces blood shortage, area in great need

January is National Blood Donor Month, and the American Red Cross continues to have an urgent need for blood and platelet donors of all blood types.

In the Southern Blood Services Region, which covers Georgia and parts of Florida and South Carolina, 12 blood drives were forced to cancel due to last week’s winter storm, causing nearly 250 donations to go uncollected.

That’s why on Monday, the Red Cross once again put out the call for people to make an appointment to give blood now and help address a winter blood donation shortage.

Spokesperson Kristin Stancil said the cold weather and the holidays always reduce the amount of available blood in area hospitals.

While all blood types are urgently needed, Stancil says there is a more critical need for the certain blood types right now.

“Type O is always needed,” she said.

Also needed are Types AB and B negative, as well as blood platelets which are used to help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The American Red Cross will have a bloodmobile at the Toccoa Walmart tomorrow, Wednesday, January 10 from noon until 5p.

Blood donors can now save time at your next donation by using RapidPass to complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online.

To get started and learn more, visit www.redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.