PORTLAND, Ore. – The Red Cross announced that the ice storm affecting much of Oregon and Southwest Washington is causing the cancellation of mobile blood drives and fixed collection sites in affected areas until conditions improve.
According to Angel Montes, Blood Services Executive for the Red Cross Cascades Region, “We are losing hundreds of units of blood across the region. Unfortunately, this severe winter weather is coming at an already challenging time of the year to collect blood as many of our blood donors are away for the holidays.”
To help ensure that patients continue to have access to lifesaving blood products, the Red Cross is urging people to schedule an appointment to give blood once weather conditions improve. To make an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-Red Cross.
The Red Cross needs to collect approximately 12,500 blood and nearly 3,000 platelet donations every day for patients undergoing medical procedures and treatments at about 2,500 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.
The organization reminds people that the most important gift they can give this holiday season is the gift of life through a blood donation.
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