Health officials are putting out the word that supplies are running low after blood drives in Illinois were canceled because of this week's winter weather.
At the Central Illinois Community Blood Center in Springfield, officials say there have been about 600 fewer donations.
And in the St. Louis area, more than 30 different blood drives were canceled.
January donations are particularly important to make up for traditional holiday decline in blood supplies.
Red Cross officials say nationwide 280 blood drives in about two dozen states were scrapped by the winter weather. The group says those drives would have collected about 8,400 blood and platelet donations.
Groups are trying to reschedule blood drives and are offering incentives to donate. In Springfield, donors can be entered to win a snow blower.
