UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, welcomed Omaha Mayor John W. Ewing Jr. to campus Friday, where Mayor Ewing officially proclaimed Oct. 30 “We Give Blood Day” in Omaha, encouraging eligible residents to donate blood and help Nebraska compete in the Big Ten’s annual campaign.
Mayor Ewing read the proclamation during a program at UNMC’s Wigton Heritage Center, noting that blood donations are essential to the health and well-being of patients undergoing surgery, cancer treatment, trauma care and treatment for serious illnesses.
The We Give Blood campaign is a national competition sponsored by Abbott that brings together all 18 Big Ten universities in a friendly contest to inspire blood donations nationwide.
“Donating blood is one of the easiest ways we can care for the people around us,” Dr. Davies said. “We want Nebraska to win this competition, no doubt. However, the most important goal is to save lives though this priceless gift of blood.”
Every donation made between Aug. 12 and Dec. 4 can help Nebraska earn points in the competition, with the winning university receiving a $1 million grant to advance student or community health.
The University of Nebraska won the inaugural competition in 2024. Wisconsin claimed the title in 2025 and was in the lead Friday morning by just more than 3,000 donors.
Mayor Ewing, reading the proclamation, encouraged Omahans to donate blood, credit their donation to the University of Nebraska at BigTen.org/Abbott and invite others to join the lifesaving effort.
The mayor also added his own bullet point to the proclamation: “I am extremely competitive. I want us to win.”
Joining Mayor Ewing and Dr. Davies were Jill Orton, chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Nebraska-Iowa and UNMC Board of Counselors member; Cheryl Warholoski, executive director of operations for the Nebraska Community Blood Bank; Lisa Kuska, regional donor services executive for the Red Cross of Nebraska and Iowa; and Josh Murray, regional communications director of the American Red Cross Nebraska-Iowa. Both organizations held blood drives at sites across Omaha on Friday and at their own locations.