Husker Nation bleeds red — and they’re proving it in "The We Give Blood Drive," the Big Ten Conference’s first nationwide blood donation competition.
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln currently leads the competition, with nearly 3,400 donations from students, alumni and fans nationwide. The total includes 113 Huskers who donated Nov. 6 at Memorial Stadium. The University of Wisconsin is second with 1,758 donations.
The team that wins the contest will be awarded $1 million to advance student or community health. The contest is sponsored by the Big Ten Conference and Abbott, a healthcare company.
To help ensure that Nebraska wins the contest, Huskers can donate blood anywhere in the United States before Dec. 7; upload proof of the donation online (each donation counts as one point for the university); and spread the news by sharing about the drive on social media channels, using the hashtag #WeGiveBlood.
In addition to helping Nebraska win the competition, participants literally save lives by donating blood.
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion. More than 80 percent of deaths in the operating room are due to blood loss. Twenty-five percent of donated blood goes to cancer patients. And, one in 83 moms receive blood after childbirth — including Ellen Wichman, a 2012 University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduate, who received nine live-saving units of blood after the birth of her son in 2017.
Details on the outcome of the competition will be announced.
