The recent severe weather, the holidays, and winter illness have led to a blood supply shortage in this region, according to the Rochester chapter of the American Red Cross.
Spokesperson Patty Corvaia says the agency collected 28,000 fewer units of blood and platelets than it normally does in the months of November and December. That’s almost equal to the number of donations collected in two days for the Red Cross nationwide. Typically, the Rochester region collects 750 donations a day.
150 blood drives had to be canceled throughout the northeast because of last week's winter storm.
"Rochester and the New York Penn region is very special to the Red Cross because we are an export region,” Corvaia said. “That means we provide blood to all our local hospitals as well as anywhere in the country that may need it for any emergency."
The Red Cross is sending out an urgent appeal to donors to schedule an appointment to donate by using the free Blood Donor App, visiting www.redcrossblood.org, or by calling 1-800-Red Cross.
