Abbott and the Big Ten conference are back with the "We Give Blood" drive to re-establish the rivalries and save lives. Keep up with the latest on the competition here.

Donors unite to top the 100,000 ‘lives saved’ mark

Two incredible things are happening in Abbott and the Big Ten’s “We Give Blood” drive this month.

• First, as of Oct. 8, the amazing blood donors throughout the Big Ten conference and across the country have combined to save up to 100,000 lives since our blood donation competition started on Aug. 27. (Every whole blood donation can save up to three lives and help tackle the national blood shortage.)
• Second, everyone who donated on the first day of the competition will soon be eligible to give again. Any donor can safely give whole blood every 56 days. So, if you donated on Aug. 27, your window of opportunity reopens on Oct. 22.

To the donors who have participated so far: We can’t thank you enough. But, hey, this is still a competition with $1 million at stake for the winning university to advance student or community health.

Schedule your next donation soon at bigten.org/abbott to score another point for your school.

Sep. 26

Breaking records: Blood donations surpass last year’s numbers

Are you keeping up with the leaderboard? If so, you may have noticed that our totals have already surpassed last year’s: Some 20,000 donors have already saved as many as 60,000 lives!

It’s a huge accomplishment, but we’re just getting started. You still have until Dec. 5 to join the drive to save lives, donate blood and help your school win the $1 million to advance student or community health. (And it’s still “game on” even if you’ve already donated. Read this to see if you might be able to score more points.)

Don’t forget: Submit your donation at bigten.org/abbott.

Sep. 24

Abbott named to Fortune’s ‘Change the World’ list

Turns out, football fandoms can help save lives — and the work is being recognized. Our initiative with the Big Ten helped Abbott make the “Fortune Change the World” list, an annual honor that recognizes companies making a positive social impact. See Fortune magazine’s full list.

The positive impact we’re making? Our “We Give Blood” drive aims to tackle the need for blood while also inspiring a new generation of blood donors. In 2024, our first year of the partnership, the “We Give Blood” drive totaled 20,000 blood donations, saving as many as 60,000 lives. Now, Year 2 is in full swing, and we have already surpassed those 20,000 donations.

Will you join the drive to save lives? Sign up to donate at bigten.org/abbott.

Aug. 27

Who will win Year 2?

And can we one-up last year’s impact? 

This conference-wide competition encourages students, alumni and fans to donate blood and help tackle the critical need for blood in the U.S. The university that encourages the most blood donations will win $1 million for student or community health. Plus, those who donate also have a chance at exclusive Homefield-designed merch and VIP game day experiences.

Sign up to donate today at bigten.org/abbott — and remember to then submit your donation to score for your team. Will your university win?

To learn how last year’s competition shook out, read the recap.