Last January, the American Red Cross, the single-largest blood provider in the country, announced the first-ever “blood crisis.” The national blood supply was so low that doctors had to postpone surgeries, give fewer blood products to patients than they typically would have and prioritize who received blood.

Many patients here in South Carolina experienced these concerning delays in essential care with frightening consequences.

Vesha Jamison of Columbia is the mother of a child with sickle-cell disease. She watched her son’s condition deteriorate while he was hospitalized last year. The family had to wait several painful days until matching blood products became available.

Egerton Burroughs of Myrtle Beach is another South Carolinian who was impacted; he was told that there were no platelets or matching whole blood units available after arriving at the hospital for his scheduled cancer treatment.

These are just a couple of the far too many stories of delayed patient care due to a severe blood shortage.

Thankfully, we’re no longer in a blood crisis. However, the need for blood is constant. Someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds. Shortages may make headlines and inspire people to give, but patients deserve to have a healthy blood supply available every day of the year. No one should have to worry about whether blood products will be available when they’re going through something as difficult as a complicated childbirth, a traumatic injury, cancer treatment or watching their child battle a critical illness.

January is National Blood Donor Month, a presidentially proclaimed observance during the time of year that is usually the most challenging for the blood supply. With winter weather causing widespread drive cancellations, holidays disrupting routines and seasonal illness necessitating appointment cancellations, we need donors of all blood types to step forward and roll up their sleeves to help save lives.

Furthermore, it’s the blood on the shelves that helps during disasters. When disasters strike, the Red Cross uses its national network to move blood products whenever and wherever they’re needed most. When Hurricane Ian hit Florida last year and when deadly tornadoes ripped through multiple states disrupting blood drives, the Red Cross sent hundreds of blood products to help.

People who see unthinkable tragedies in the news often want to help by giving blood. The fact is that it takes a couple of days for donated blood to be processed and tested before it can be safely transfused to patients.

A sufficient blood supply year-round is essential for community health. Please don’t wait until there’s a crisis to donate blood. One in 7 patients entering a hospital will need a blood transfusion, one of the most common hospital procedures in the United States. An estimated 62% of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood, yet only 3% of the public donates.

As we start a new year, consider resolving to become a regular blood donor with the Red Cross. Now is a great time to donate for the first time or to get back into giving if it’s been a while. Since you’re only asked to give every 56 days, saving lives just might be the easiest resolution you’ll ever keep.

Sign up to give blood or host a blood drive at redcrossblood.org.

Rod Tolbert is chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of South Carolina. The Greenwood native has served with the American Red Cross for 25 years.