Blood donations slow with bad weather

The frigid weather makes many Iowans yearn to stay inside where it’s warm — and many of us are skipping that trip to the blood center to donate a pint. Christine Hayes, spokeswoman for the Blood Center of Iowa, says their supply of the life-giving fluid is very low, just like the temperature.Hayes says many recent blood drives have been cancelled due to the very cold weather and the poor driving conditions and donor turnout is low for the same reasons. She says it’s been tougher than expected the last few weeks due to the winter weather — and the holidays. Hayes says one person’s blood donation can help several people. She says it’s very uncommon for a patient to get an entire unit of blood — it’s usually just certain components like platelets, red blood cells or plasma — so one blood donor can help save the lives of three patients. Hayes says people with O-negative blood should consider donating blood regularly, as they’re universal donors. Hayes says only six-percent of people are O-negative, a blood type that can be given to any patient regardless of their blood type. The Blood Center of Iowa supplies blood to 34 hospitals in 33 central and northern Iowa counties.