Ohio State may have won on the gridiron Saturday, but the University of Michigan won the annual organ donation challenge between the two schools.
Ohio State University won the annual Blood Battle with the University of Michigan, but U-M won the organ donor challenge. Here, Stan Liebaert donates blood on at the Be a Hero at the Big House donor drive earlier this month.
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
Not to be outdone, Ohio State won the two-week Blood Battle contest, which is in its 31st year. The U-M collected 2,232 pints of blood falling short of Ohio State's 2,402.
U-M officials said the real winners are those who are waiting for organ, tissue or cornea transplants or who need crucial blood donations.
Every day, 19 people die while waiting for an organ transplant and another 138 people are added to the national waiting list, U-M said. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and more than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.
The organization Wolverines For Life promotes the two challenges. Wolverines for Life is a collaboration between the U-M Health System, Michigan Athletics and other U-M groups like the community service organization Alpha Phi Omega, along with the American Red Cross, Gift of Life Michigan, the Michigan Eye-Bank and the Be the Match Foundation.
You can still sign up on the state's donor registry at Gift of Life Michigan. The organization, in collaboration with the Michigan Eye-Bank, provides all services necessary for organ, tissue and eye donation.
More information about blood donation opportunities is available from the Red Cross.
Bone marrow donors can join the Be the Match Registry.
Cindy Heflin is associate news director at AnnAbor.com. Contact her at 734-623-2572 or cindyheflin@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.