Blood shortage due to severe winter weather prompts urgent call in Wisconsin for donors

A combination of severe winter weather, flu and cold season and college students on break has created a critical blood shortage across the nation.

In Wisconsin, the shortage is not as severe but two weeks of bitterly cold temperatures in late December and early January prevented some donors from giving blood.

Nationally, more than 200 Red Cross blood drives were canceled, resulting in around 6,500 fewer blood and platelet donations, mostly because of storms in the eastern U.S. last week.

"We're at 28,000 fewer donations than where we need to be on a national basis," said Laura McGuire, external communications manager for the Badger-Hawkeye American Red Cross region.

In the Wisconsin region, the Red Cross needs 455 donations each day to keep up with the demand at the 31 hospitals the organization supplies blood. Across the U.S., 13,000 blood and platelet donations are required each day to supply 2,600 hospitals by the Red Cross.

College students account for one in five donations in Wisconsin, which means the number of donations drops off during the winter break. Also, blood drive coordinators frequently take time off during the holidays and donors cancel appointments when they get sick from colds or influenza.

Though Wisconsin was not hit with snowstorms, brutally cold wind chills kept many blood donors home. 

"During the cold weather, obviously we didn't want a lot of our regular donors if they're up in age to come in and give," said McGuire.

The Blood Center of Wisconsin, the only blood supplier to hospitals in southeastern Wisconsin, is not experiencing a shortage except for O negative blood; there was only a half day supply of O negative blood on Wednesday, said Matt Queen, public relations assistant. The Blood Center of Wisconsin, which is not affiliated with the Red Cross, tries to have at least a three-day supply of O negative blood.

The Blood Center needs approximately 800 donors every day to maintain supplies to 56 hospitals throughout the state. 

Platelets have a five-day shelf life while blood can be stored for up to 42 days. So it's necessary for a constant rotation of donors to roll up their sleeves. All blood and blood products are tested; blood donated on a Monday can be used as quickly as the following Friday to a patient in need.

While all blood types are urgently needed, the American Red Cross said there's a critical need for:

•  Platelets, the clotting portion of blood given to cancer patients, burn victims and people undergoing surgeries.
•  O negative, B negative and AB blood types.

"Every two seconds somebody needs blood. It's like a cellphone battery. Our blood flow fluctuates every day but it needs to be recharged," McGuire said.

Eligible donors can learn of a blood or platelet donation opportunity and schedule an appointment to donate by using the Red Cross blood app, visiting redcrossblood.org, or calling (800) 733-2767.To donate to the Blood Center of Wisconsin in southeastern Wisconsin, visit bcw.edu or call (877) 232-4376.