Weather Impacts Blood Supply
Last Updated on February 20, 2025
Extreme winter weather has caused widespread disruptions across the Midwest, resulting in canceled blood drives and closures of LifeServe Blood Center Donor Centers across Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Illinois. Unfortunately, this has led to the loss of more than 900 blood donations, significantly impacting the supply of lifesaving blood products for patients in need.
The need for blood in our hospitals is constant – regardless of weather.
LifeServe alone needs 2,600 red blood cells collected per week to meet the needs of patients who rely on blood transfusions for surgeries, cancer treatments, trauma care and more. Without a steady flow of donations, we risk being in a dangerous situation where hospitals could face shortages and be unable to take care of their patients.
You can help right now! We’re calling on our communities to step up and act. If your blood donation was canceled due to weather, please reschedule as soon as possible. If you’ve never donated before, now is the perfect time to get involved and make a difference in someone’s life. Your donation can save up to three lives.