There's an urgent need for platelet donors, blood donors with types O, A negative and B negative. As severe winter weather begins to subside, the American Red Cross is asking all eligible blood and platelet donors to help offset a weather-related shortfall in donations. Approximately 280 blood drives across 25 states were cancelled across the U.S. due to snow and extreme cold. The blood drive cancellations resulted in a shortfall of nearly 8, 400 blood and platelet donations since January 2. In the Paducah area, severe winter weather forced the cancellation of eight Red Cross blood drives, resulting in about 400 fewer than expected blood donations over the past 30 days.

“It’s the blood products already on the shelves that help save lives when severe weather hits,” said Tim Ryerson, CEO of the Red Cross Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region. “Thanks to generous Red Cross blood and platelet donors, blood products were available for patients who still needed transfusions despite the weather. Now we invite those previously ‘frozen out’ from giving blood or platelets to come in soon.”

Platelet donors, as well as blood donors with the most in-demand blood types — O positive and negative, A negative and B negative — are urgently needed to give blood in the days and weeks ahead to offset the shortfall.

Platelets, a key clotting component of blood often needed by cancer patients, must be transfused within five days of donation, so donations are constantly needed. Red blood cells, the oxygen carrying component of blood, are the most widely transfused blood product and must be transfused within 42 days.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Calloway
 KY
 1/23/14
 11:00 AM
 4:00 PM
 St. John's Episcopal Church
 1620 West Main St
 Murray
 
Calloway
 KY
 1/28/14
 1:30 PM
 6:30 PM
 Murray Middle School
 801 Main Street
 Murray
 
Calloway
 KY
 1/29/14
 9:00 AM
 3:00 PM
 Baptist Campus Ministries
 800 Waldrop
 Murray
 
Fulton
 KY
 1/14/14
 12:00 PM
 4:00 PM
 First Baptist Church
 115 Second St
 Fulton
 
Graves
 KY
 1/9/14
 2:00 PM
 6:00 PM
 Graves County Middle  School
 615 Jimtown Road
 Mayfield *t-shirts will be given to all presenting donors, while supplies last
 
Graves
 KY
 1/24/14
 12:00 PM
 6:00 PM
 Mayfield Elementary School
 1004 Backusburg Rd.
 Mayfield
 
Graves
 KY
 1/28/14
 11:00 AM
 5:00 PM
 American Legion
 211 South 7th
 Mayfield
 
Graves
 KY
 1/30/14
 12:00 PM
 4:00 PM
 Healthsource of Mayfield
 1011 Paris Road
 Mayfield
 
Hardin
 IL
 1/22/14
 10:30 AM
 3:30 PM
 Hardin County High School
 Route 2
 Elizabethtown
 
Hickman
 KY
 1/27/14
 12:00 PM
 6:00 PM
 First United Methodist Church
 210 South Washington Street
 Clinton
 
Hardin
 IL
 1/22/14
 10:30 AM
 3:30 PM
 Hardin County High School
 Route 2
 Elizabethtown
 
Hickman
 KY
 1/27/14
 12:00 PM
 6:00 PM
 First United Methodist Church
 210 South Washington Street
 Clinton
 
Johnson
 IL
 1/20/14
 10:00 AM
 6:00 PM
 Fellowship Baptist Church
 890 Senior Avenue
 Vienna
 
Johnson
 IL
 1/23/14
 12:30 PM
 5:30 PM
 Goreville United Methodist Church
 117 West Adams Street
 Goreville
 
Lyon
 KY
 1/20/14
 1:30 PM
 5:30 PM
 United Methodist Church
 214 Jenkins
 Eddyville
 
Marshall
 KY
 1/13/14
 12:00 PM
 6:00 PM
 Calvert City Civic Center
 1445 5th Avenue Southeast
 Calvert City
 
Marshall
 KY
 1/20/14
 12:00 PM
 6:00 PM
 Woodmen of the World Benton
 100 S. Poplar
 Benton
 
Massac
 IL
 1/10/14
 9:30 AM
 1:30 PM
 Massac Memorial Hospital
 28 Chick Street
 Metropolis
 
McCracken
 KY
 1/17/14
 11:30 AM
 4:30 PM
 Rosary Chapel Catholic Church
 711 Ohio Street
 Paducah
 
McCracken
 KY
 1/19/14
 11:45 AM
 3:45 PM
 Reidland United Methodist Church
 5515 Reidland Drive
 Paducah
 
McCracken
 KY
 1/23/14
 12:00 PM
 4:00 PM
 McCracken County Public Library
 555 Washington Street
 Paducah
 
Mississippi
 MO
 1/13/14
 12:30 PM
 4:30 PM
 First Baptist Church
 301 South Main
 Charleston
 
Mississippi
 MO
 1/30/14
 9:00 AM
 2:00 PM
 Charleston High School
 604 South Thorn Street
 Charleston
 
New Madrid
 MO
 1/17/14
 8:30 AM
 1:30 PM
 Portageville High School
 904 King Street
 Portageville
 
Pemiscot
 MO
 1/9/14
 12:00 PM
 4:00 PM
 Caruthersville Probation and Parole
 915 Hwy 84
 Caruthersville
 
Pulaski
 IL
 1/27/14
 12:00 PM
 4:00 PM
 Cross Road United Methodist Church
 1289 Ullin Road
 Ullin
 
Union
 IL
 1/15/14
 10:00 AM
 4:00 PM
 Anna-Jonesboro Community High School
 608 South Main Street
 Anna
 

In addition, below is information about the American Red Cross blood donation center in Paducah:

Paducah Blood Donor Center at 4635 Falconcrest Drive is open:

Monday - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesday - Closed
2nd, 3rd Thursday of month - 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday - 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
1st, 4th, 5th Sunday of month - 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
 
Paducah Apheresis (Platelet Donation) Center at 4635 Falconcrest Drive is open:

Monday - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesday - Thursday - Closed
Friday - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday - 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
1st, 4th, 5th Sunday of month - 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
 
How to donate blood:

Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17-years-old (16 with parental consent in some states), 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-old and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, visit www.redcross.org or visit on Twitter at @RedCross.