SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Ongoing severe winter weather 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.
“Blood and platelet donations are currently being distributed to hospitals faster than they are coming in,” said Clifford Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Blood Services. “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.”
Every day, no matter the weather, the Red Cross must collect more than 13,000 blood and platelet donations to meet the needs of patients like Finnegan “Finn” Olson. Last January, Finn was born with a rare heart condition. He required multiple transfusions before, during and after heart transplant surgery last summer. Transfusions had an almost immediate effect on his personality and skin’s appearance.
“Each time Finn received a transfusion, you could see him pink up right away and have significantly more energy,” said his mother, Ali Olson. “We credit blood donation with making Finn stronger and helping keep him alive long enough to receive a new heart. Finn is living proof that blood helps save lives.”
Make an appointment to give blood or platelets by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 23 to Feb. 15 throughout San Diego:
- Bonita 2/4/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 450 Corral Canyon Road
- Cardiff 2/14/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Belmont Village Senior Living, 3535 Manchester Ave
- Carlsbad 1/30/2018: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Henry Schein Orthodontics, 1822 Aston Ave 2/7/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Covidien, 2101 Faraday Ave
- Chula Vista 1/24/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Bonita Vista High School, 751 Otay Lakes Rd 1/25/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Eastlake High School, 1120 Eastlake Parkway 1/30/2018: 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Youth Center, 465 L St
- El Cajon 2/5/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., El Cajon Heartland Masonic, 695 Ballantyne Street
- Encinitas 2/6/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive
- Escondido 2/1/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Escondido Community, 2245 East Valley Parkway 2/10/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Escondido East Valley Community Center, 2245 East Valley Parkway 2/11/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Westfield North County, 272 E. Via Rancho Pkwy 2/12/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Escondido Community, 2245 East Valley Parkway
- Fallbrook 1/23/2018: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Fallbrook Library, 124 South Mission Rd
- La Jolla 1/25/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., University California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive 1/26/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., University California San Diego Library Walk, 9500 Gilman Drive 1/31/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., University California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive 2/5/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., University California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive 2/9/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., University California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive
- Oceanside 1/25/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Oceanside Masonic Center, 511 Eucalyptus 2/12/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Brookdale, 3524 Lake Blvd 2/2/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wal-Mart, 705 College Blvd 2/4/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., New Song Community Church, 3985 Mission Ave 2/8/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Oceanside Masonic Center, 511 Eucalyptus
- Poway 1/27/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Poway Royal Estates, 13300 Alpine Drive
- Ramona 2/6/2018: 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Ramona High School, 1401 Hanson Lane
- San Diego 1/23/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 1/23/2018: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Montgomery High School, 3250 Palm Ave 1/24/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Bastyr University California Building A, 4106 Sorrento Valley Blvd. 1/24/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 1/25/2018: 10:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 1/26/2018: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 1/27/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 1/28/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 1/28/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., St Columbia School, 3365 Glencolum Dr. 1/29/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 1/29/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Serra High School, 5156 Santo Road 1/29/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Miramar College - Student Affairs Building, 10440 Black Mountain Rd 1/30/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 1/30/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., University Center, 5998 Alcala Park 1/31/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/1/2018: 10:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/2/2018: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/3/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/4/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/5/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/6/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/7/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., PIKES House, 5525 Aztec Walk 2/7/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/7/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Miramar College - Student Affairs Building, 10440 Black Mountain Rd 2/8/2018: 10:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/8/2018: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., Scripps Mercy Hospital, 4077 Fifth Ave 2/9/2018: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/9/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Coleman Tech Charter High School, 3540 Aero Ct. 2/10/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/11/2018: 7 a.m. - 11:45 a.m., Hope Worldwide Creekside Elementary, 12362 Springhurst Rd. 2/11/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/12/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/13/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/14/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C 2/15/2018: 10:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
- San Diego State University 2/9/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., San Diego State University Aztec Walk, 5500 Campanile Dr 2/13/2018: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., San Diego State University Aztec Walk, 5500 Campanile Dr
- San Marcos 1/23/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., California State University San Marcos Kellogg Plaza, 333 S Twin Oaks Road 1/24/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., University Student Union, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road 1/27/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Biggs Harley-Davidson, 1040 Los Vallecitos Blvd, #113 2/7/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., California State University San Marcos Kellogg Plaza, 333 S Twin Oaks Road 2/14/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., California State University San Marcos Kellogg Plaza, 333 S Twin Oaks Road 2/15/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., City of San Marcos City Hall, 1 Civic Center Drive
- Vista 1/24/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Avalon, 701 Breeze Hill Rd.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
