The American Red Cross has issued an urgent call for blood and platelet donations. Severe weather forced a number of blood drives to be cancelled, and now the organization is asking the public to help fight the winter blood shortage.
More than 150 drives were canceled across the country, including 10 in New York just last week. The Red Cross says that means thousands of possible donations were not collected.
Right now there is a "critical need" for platelets, Type O negative, Type B negative and Type AB blood.
There are a number of blood drives being held in Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Wyoming, Orleans and Chautauqua Counties over the next few weeks. To find a drive near you, click here.
