Brett Blume @brettblumekmoxBy Brett Blume
An Indian medical student gives blood during a donation drive to mark World Red Cross Day in Amritsar on May 8, 2013. World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, observed annually in celebration of the organisation's humanitarian movement, coincides with the birthday of Henry Dunant, founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (Photo credit should read NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images)AFP PHOTO/GETTY/ NARINDER NANU
ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – Local blood supplies always seem to be running short, and that’s especially true right now.
St. Louis regional Red Cross CEO Cindy Erickson says the reason, of course, is the harsh winter weather.
“With all of the bad weather we’ve had, we’ve had to cancel a lot of blood drives across our country. And so we’re really encouraging people to please donate because we’re having to make up for those cancellations,” says Erickson.
In February alone the Red Cross lost 50,000 expected blood and platelet donations due to more than 400 drives being cancelled nationwide.
Erickson’s encouraging people to go to the Red Cross website to search for the nearest blood drive.
Brett BlumeBrett Blume has been employed as a news reporter at KMOX since September 2002.
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