Sometime today, take a peek out the window.

You’ll likely see one of the main reasons that the American Red Cross is experiencing a severe blood shortage, and why officials are concerned about blood centers having enough blood on hand to meet all the needs of their patients.

The unrelenting winter weather, as well as a nationwide outbreak of flu and other illnesses, has kept many potential donors away and prompted the Red Cross to cancel hundreds of blood drives.

That’s resulted in a 35 percent reduction in the blood supply over the past month-and-a-half.

Since only 3 percent of the 212 million U.S. residents eligible to give blood actually donate each year, it doesn’t take many people staying home to impact the supply.

If you think it doesn’t affect you, think again.

When the blood supply dips, it puts many people at serious risk, including victims of car crashes and other traumatic incidents, cancer patients, those with sickle-cell disease, mothers giving birth, those getting elective surgery, and others in need of transfusions, including infants.

More than 1.9 million people each year are diagnosed with cancer, and many of those patients will need as much as a daily donation of blood during chemotherapy treatments.

About 90,000 to 100,000 people suffer from sickle-cell disease, with about 1,000 babies born with it each year. Sickle-cell patients can require blood transfusions throughout their lives.

An adequate blood supply is also vital for victims motor vehicle accidents, gunshots, accidents and other trauma.

The first 60 minutes of a trauma is critical. More than 80 percent of trauma deaths in the operating room within 24 hours of an incident are due to severe blood loss, the Red Cross reports.

A single car accident victim can require up to 50 units of blood, which means one patient can severely reduce the supply on hand.

You may not think about the blood shortage until you or a loved one find yourself in a hospital room holding on for dear life awaiting a transfusion.

Donating is easy, quick (usually under an hour) and painless beyond the initial blood draw. And the Red Cross website — https://www.redcrossblood.org/ — makes it easy for you to determine if you’re eligible to give blood and to find a convenient blood drive near where you live.

If you didn’t know there was a crisis, well, now you do. If you’re eligible, find a blood drive, roll up your sleeve, and help. Please.

© The Leader Herald