If your blood type is O negative, you are what’s known as a “universal donor.” That means anyone can receive the red blood cells you donate.

The U.S. continues to face urgent blood shortages, with some blood centers reporting less than a one-day supply of blood on hand. Blood donations are needed every two seconds for a wide variety of medical reasons, including trauma and accident victims, mothers experiencing complications after childbirth, and individuals receiving cancer treatment. As people get older, they become less likely to be eligible to donate blood. At the same time, the number of young people donating blood has been falling in recent years. With the “We Give Blood” drive competition, Abbott is working with Big Ten universities and blood centers across the country to ignite the next generation of lifelong blood donors.