January’s Massive Winter Storm has Left Blood Supplies in Crisis

January’s Massive Winter Storm has Left Blood Supplies in Crisis

Your help is needed now more than ever, and it’s easy to give.

The winter storm that swept over the East Coast in early January left many people out of house and home- or at best, struggling to stay warm inside one.

But one of the most damaging effects of Winter Storm Grayson was something less tangible to the average person. It’s medical. A massive dip in blood reserves was experienced by The Red Cross and other community organizations gathering blood, and your help is now needed.

According to a spokesperson for the Red Cross, over 150 blood drives were forced to cancel amid freezing rain, floods, winter wind and raging snow.

Related: What Does Your Blood Type Say About Your Health?

Power outages and dangerous driving conditions were the most common causes of cancellation. Bad flying weather was also to blame. Flights carrying blood gathered in other parts of the country were grounded, leaving a wide gap in blood supplies.

So, what can you do to help?

Type O and type B blood are in the most need at the moment, as well as platelets, which help to treat blood clots. Platelets can only be stored for a maximum of five days. Because of this, they form one of the hardest hit groups as they can’t be gathered and stored ahead of an emergency.

Donating blood is easy- and they often give you free cookies and juice! To find out about your nearest blood drive and how to donate, click here.

Photo credits: A3pfamily/Shutterstock.com

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