ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan will kick off the annual Blood Battle against Ohio State with the fifth annual "Be a Hero at the Big House," a massive donor drive at Michigan Stadium this Sunday, Nov. 1.
The public is invited to attend the free event, which includes a blood drive, opportunities to join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry and the Be The Match national bone marrow registry – along with games, prizes and a VIP view of the Big House – from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the Jack Roth Stadium Club at Michigan Stadium. Parking will be free at the stadium near the club-level doors on the Crisler Arena side.
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The annual event is sponsored by Wolverines for Life, a collaboration between the U-M Health System, Michigan Athletics and other University of Michigan groups, schools and departments, along with the American Red Cross, Be the Match/National Marrow Donor Program, Gift of Life Michigan and Eversight Michigan.
At last year's event, more than 340 pints of blood were collected, making it the largest blood drive ever on the U-M campus. Organizers this year hope to top that record.
Wolverines for Life hopes this event kicks off the annual fall challenges between U-M and Ohio State – the Blood Battle and the Marrow Matchup. Each school tries to beat the other in collecting blood donations and registrations to the Be the Match bone marrow registry before their teams meet on the gridiron Nov. 28, this year at Michigan Stadium.
Every day, 18 people die while waiting for an organ transplant, 77 people receive an organ transplant and another 138 people are added to the national waiting list. A single organ and tissue donor can save eight lives and help up to 50 people.
Appointments for blood donation can be made at www.wolverinesforlife.org. Click on the Donate Blood button in the yellow box at the left.
Signing up for the organ donor registry or participating in the Be the Match screening for bone marrow does not require an appointment.
All blood donors will get a free Red Cross Blood Battle t-shirt, a coupon for $5 off a $30 purchase at Busch's Market and additional coupons. All attendees will get a free Wolverines for Life t-shirt. Games will be provided for kids, as well as visits from special costumed characters.
The Blood Battle event is sponsored by the American Red Cross Blood Services Region of Southeastern Michigan, as well as the student organization Blood Drives United with support from the Washtenaw County American Red Cross Club at U-M, and other student organizations on campus. More than 30 drives around the U-M campus have been scheduled, beginning Nov. 1 and ending Nov. 26.
Go to redcrossblood.org or wolverinesforlife.org to register. Use the sponsor code "goblue."
Marrow Matchup: Those between the ages of 18 and 44 can register on the bone marrow registry at the Be A Hero event and also at some of the Blood Battle drives. Every year, 10,000 patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and 70 other life-threatening blood diseases need a marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant but have no donor match in their family. They depend on Be The Match to help them find an unrelated donor and receive the transplant they need. For many, a marrow transplant is their best or only hope for a cure. Go to www.wolverinesforlife.org and click on the "Be The Match" button to learn more or register.
Partial funding for Wolverines for Life efforts is provided by the Gift of Life Foundation.