Red Cross issues urgent call for donors: Clayton hosts blood donation opportunities

CLAYTON —The recent ongoing and severe winter weather in Northeast Georgia has more than doubled the number of canceled American Red Cross blood drives and the resulting blood and platelet donation shortfall since earlier this month.

The Red Cross now considers the situation critical and is reissuing an urgent call for blood and platelet donors.

More than 550 blood drives have been forced to cancel due to winter weather in January,

causing over 16,500 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected through last week. In addition, bitter cold and widespread flu have contributed to very low turnout at many blood drives.

According to Clifford Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Blood Services, blood, and platelet donations are currently being distributed to hospitals faster than they are coming in.

He added in order to avert the situation, donors are critically needed to restock the shelves for patients in their community as well as areas where donors are unable to give due to inclement weather.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Clayton

• 1/25/2018: 1 – 6 p.m., Clayton Baptist Church Ministry Activity Center, 87 S. Church St.
• 2/6/2018: 1 – 6 p.m., Clayton United Methodist Church, 205 Ministry Mountain Drive