National Blood Supply at Lowest Level in 15 Years

The American Red Cross says its national blood supply is at its lowest level in 15 years. The Red Cross this week put out an urgent call for blood donations. Nationwide, they have received 80,000 fewer donations than expected for this time of year. Experts say shelf life of red cells is only 42 days, and platelets, which are critical to burn victims, bone marrow and cancer patients only have a shelf life of five days. The Red Cross says if you would like to give… you can walk-in to the Tate Springs Road Location in Lynchburg on Fridays. They also say you can schedule an appointment and learn more at redcrossblood.org.