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Extreme weather condition across the country is currently hurting American Red Cross operations in recent months. Severe winter forced the organization to cancel more than 300 blood drives nationwide creating an urgent demand for blood and platelet donations.

According to WTKR-3, operations are handicapped across the blizzard-stricken 20 states with 9, 500 donations remain largely uncollected since 1 January leading to a severe decline in blood supply.

To meet an ever-rising demand for blood, an estimated 14, 000 donations would have to be collected on a daily basis to service patients across 2, 600 centers and hospitals in the country as mentioned in a report by KUTV-2.

In a serious plea for help, Red Cross hopes to collect as much blood as they can from willing and eligible donors as a new patient needs blood every two seconds.

Blood and platelet transfusions are immediately needed by those who suffer from accidents and burns and also by patients who are getting surgical operations, organ transplants, and treatments for serious diseases like cancers.

Because of the low winter supply, Red Cross officials are urging the public to donate more to replenish its blood and platelet reserves.

"Blood products are being delivered to hospitals as quickly as donations are coming in. Eligible donors are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now and help ensure blood products are available for patients," said Nick Gehrig, communications director of the Red Cross Blood Services as quoted by ABC-13 News Now.

Interested donors are advised to set blood donation appointments via Red Cross Blood Donor App, Red Cross website (redcrossblood.org), and Red Cross hotline (1-800-RED CROSS/1-800-733-2767).