For the past week, Canadian Blood Servies has been putting out the call for donors across the country to help them build back up their supply of blood.

Canadian Blood Services manages the national supply of blood, blood products and stem cells, and related services for all the provinces and territories (except Quebec). 

They announced that they need 10,000 Canadians and 440 Saskatchewan residents to help them with their recent shortage of blood by March 10.

Robyn Henwood, a territory manager for Canadian Blood Services, said that to get 440 blood donations will be tough, but she is counting on the Saskatchewan hospitality to help them out.

"We've really seen what Saskatchewan can do and how they can rally around their community and around the other people from Saskatchewan," she said. "I believe that they will take the time to make sure that nobody ever goes without blood."

Henwood added that they're calling on the country because they are don't have the levels of blood that hospitals require.

Normally Henwood said they would expect the 440 blood donations to be at a tenth of what it is at this time.

She said bad weather across the country has seen people stay inside instead of coming out to donate blood.

"Unfortunately due to winter storms and how cold it's been outside, fewer people are coming in to donate blood," she said. "The need is still there, so that's why we are going back to Canadians to please come back in and help to make sure we always have blood for people who need them."

Henwood said that the shortage of blood has been a problem before as only four percent of Canadians donate blood.

"The need for blood is constant, and right now 100 per cent Canadians rely on four per cent of donors," she said. "That's all that donate blood right now, and we really do need blood right now and need more people to come out and donate blood."

This is not the first time Canadian Blood Services have faced a blood shortage as according to Henwood three years ago they had to go into an appeal and ask people to come in as soon as possible to meet the demand they had.

She says that if they are not able to fill the needed supply, they might have to rely on other provinces, assuming they have met their quota as well.

"Because we are Canadian wide we can always import it from other provinces such as Alberta," she said. "Hopefully, we don't have to do that. That would mean Alberta would have to ensure that they're hitting their target too."

One person equals one unit of blood, and someone who is involved in a car accident can use up to 50 units of blood.

Henwood adds that to donate blood to go to blood.ca and find the nearest walk-in clinic and that if you can't come with the next couple days to still come and book an appointment.