Be a Winter Warrior

As winter settles in, so do the challenges to collecting blood. The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply of blood, drawing down the blood supply by about 35 percent over the past month. Individuals are urgently needed to give blood or platelets now so patients don’t face delays in lifesaving care. 

But there is good news: You can help change that. Now through February, the Red Cross is calling on compassionate individuals to step up as Winter Warriors—donors who brave the winter weather and give blood or platelets to keep hospital shelves stocked and ready for emergencies.

Why Winter Is So Tough on the Blood Supply

Winter is traditionally one of the hardest seasons for blood collection. Snow, ice and freezing temperatures often force blood drive cancellations and prevent donors from traveling safely to appointments. At the same time, cold and flu season causes many would-be donors to delay or cancel their donation. Hospitals already strained by the worst flu season in nearly 20 years are now also being forced to triage critical blood products. High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild the Red Cross national blood supply.  

Who’s Needed Most Right Now?

While all blood types are needed, donors with Type O, A negative and B negative are especially vital.

• Type O-negative is the universal blood type—emergency room teams rely on it when there’s no time to determine a patient’s blood type.

• Type O-positive is the most commonly used blood type for Rh-positive recipients.

  
  

Platelet donors are also urgently needed. Platelets help with clotting and are critical for trauma patients and people undergoing cancer treatment. But because they must be transfused within five days, the supply is constantly under pressure.

How You Can Be a Winter Warrior

Becoming a Winter Warrior is simple—and your hour-long donation could save more than one life.

Before you donate:

• Drink plenty of water.

• Eat an iron‑rich meal (think spinach, beans, red meat).

• Avoid fatty foods if possible.

  
  

How often you can give:

• Whole blood can be donated every 56 days.

• Power Red donations can be made every 112 days.

  
  

Every donation makes an impact. More than a quarter of all blood products are used in emergency or critical-care situations—from trauma victims to cancer patients, from heart surgery to organ transplant recipients. There’s no time to wait — book an appointment to give blood or platelets now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).