TOLEDO, Ohio — Blood donations are needed year around but especially this time of year.
WTOL 11 spoke to Mercy Health who says several blood drives had to be cancelled due to the winter weather.
"Over the last several months, the inclement weather often cancels blood drives," said Dr. John Leskovan of Mercy Health. "(We need) to have more blood drives, and people donate so that our supplies get built back up."
According to Leskovan, COVID put a damper on blood donations. Since the pandemic, they are starting to see an uptick back to the normal rate of donations. However, winter is always a battle.
Officials say right now they are okay with the amount of blood they have but they won't be for long because they don't have that replenishment of new blood donations.
"The universal donor is O-," explained Leskovan. "That allows people to get blood in a time of absolute need, emergent, like a trauma patient who comes in after a horrific gunshot or car wreck that needs blood. Those patients can get O- but after that, we specifically type you and give you the specific blood that you have."
One in seven people that go to the hospital need blood transfusions.
People battling cancer, leukemia, sickle cell or chronic anemia often need blood transfusions as out patients. So while there's a huge need inside the hospital, there's also a need outside the hospital as well.
There are several types of blood donations. For requirements and more information, you can go to the American Red Cross.
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