Blood donations save lives and the Red Cross needs your help

Statistics from the American Red Cross say that every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood. There's a finite supply. You can't make it. And people need it for a variety of reasons: surgery, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and other traumatic injuries. Blood and platelet donations make a big difference.

January is national blood donor month, and there's a critical shortage. The American Red Cross recently shared that we're experiencing the lowest number of people giving blood in the last 20 years.

Through Wednesday, Jan. 31, individuals who donate blood, platelets or plasma can also be entered to win a Super Bowl experience. The person and their guest will receive tickets, round-trip airfare to Las Vegas and hotel accommodations for Super Bowl 58. There's also a $1,000 gift for expenses.

You can make an appointment to donate by using the Red Cross blood donor app, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call (800) Red Cross. If you have questions about being a donor or your eligibility, call the Red Cross Donor and Client Support Center at (866) 236-3276.

If you are a regular blood donor or have donated recently, thank you. You're providing a valuable service that helps save lives. And if you haven't done so in awhile, this is a prime opportunity to put blood donation back on your radar.