UMSN Piles on the Pints for Annual “Blood Battle” vs. Ohio State
The University of Michigan is on a four-year winning streak in American Red Cross-sponsored blood drive.
On November 9, 2012, the School of Nursing hosted one of the nearly three dozen drives happening across campus in the 31st-annual Blood Battle against OSU. Members of the UMSN Honors Society organized the drive and served as volunteers during the event in which nearly 60 students, faculty and staff members donated their blood. “It was about what I expected, not too bad,” said first-time donor Amanda Paulsen, a UMSN sophomore. “I broke a lot of bones as a kid, so this was nothing.”
The Blood Battle
began in 1982 to coincide with the U-M vs. OSU football rivalry. It has grown into one of the largest blood competitions in the country, with more than 2,500 donations given on each campus alone, according the American Red Cross. U-M holds the record for most wins, 18 to OSU’s 11, but the contests are often close.
This year, the Blood Battle will be particularly important for the Red Cross, because blood supplies are lower than usual. Recent scheduled drives in the northeastern United States were canceled in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. In addition, supply levels often reach critical levels during the holiday season. Each donation can help save up to three lives, according to the American Red Cross.
Results of this year’s Blood Battle will be announced on November 24 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, during the famed Big 10 matchup.
If you’d like to donate, visit bloodbattle.org for a list on on-campus locations or The American Red Cross to make an appointment.
Get updates on the Blood Battle through UMSN’s Twitter page @UMichNursing.
Written by Jaime Meyers, 734-764-7006
UMSN Marketing and Communications, sn-comm@umich.edu
