It’s time for the annual Big Heart Blood Battle! From January 13th to February 22nd, students at the University of Michigan will be facing off against students from several of our Big 10 rivals, including Michigan State, Penn State, and Wisconsin, to see which campus can donate the most blood. The Big Heart Blood Battle is looking for students to join the fight to help save lives across the state and country. Donating blood is crucial, and your support is important now more than ever.
Make an appointment to donate blood at www.bloodbattle.org. On the homepage, click “Donate.” You can also visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/ and insert the sponsor code “goblue.”
Students who donate will receive a Blood Battle t-shirt and a coupon for Washtenaw Dairy, while supplies last. Donors will also be entered into a raffle for gift cards and other prizes!
Listed below are the remaining dates, times, and locations of this year’s drive. For a calendar schedule and more information, click here.
Date Time Location
- Feb. 10 9am-3pm U-M East Medical Center – Rachel Upjohn Building, Atrium/Conference Room
- Feb. 10 10am-4pm Pierpont Commons – East Room
- Feb. 13 12pm-6pm East Hall – Psych Atrium
- Feb. 15 6:30am-6:30pm U of M Hospital – Towsley Lobby
- Feb. 17 10am-4pm University Lutheran Chapel – Chapel and Community Room
- Feb. 21 7am-2pm U of M Hospital – Towsley Lobby
- Feb. 22 8am-2pm Arbor Lakes – Dome
- Feb. 22 8:30am-2:30pm U of M Medical Science Building 2 – Room 3813/17
Donors can use Rapid Pass, which allows donors to efficiently complete steps before their appointments. Visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass for more information.
The Blood Battle is highlighting the American Red Cross's website for LGBTQ+ Donors, specifically the recognition of the harm caused by historical and ongoing donation eligibility policies. Blood donation eligibility should not be determined based on sexual orientation and policy change is needed in order to achieve this goal. In recent news, the Food and Drug Administration is considering a policy change that is based on research and will be more individualized and inclusive. This change is supported by organizations such as GLAAD, the American Medical Association, and the American Red Cross. The University of Michigan strives for blood drives to provide as inclusive an atmosphere as possible. To learn more about blood donation requirements, please visit bloodbattle.org/eligibility.
Before your appointment, please remember to eat iron-rich foods and drink plenty of water. Go Blue!