Rutgers Blood Drive Aims To Win $1M Prize While Honoring Young Leukemia Survivor

A major blood drive at Rutgers University on Oct. 7 could win the school $1 million in a Big Ten Conference contest. The event puts the spotlight on Harrison Chung, who beat leukemia at age six after getting life-saving blood transfusions.

Students can give blood from noon to 6 p.m. at the Rodkin Academic Success Center in Piscataway. The "We Give Blood" push runs through Dec. 5, with schools tracking donations on a real-time board.

"Donating blood is a simple way that you can help someone," said Erin Chung, Harrison's mother, according to RWJBarnabas Health. "My goal is to remind people how important it is. It saved our son."

After a three-year fight starting at age three, Harrison took his final chemo treatment in April 2024. His time at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital included many vital blood and platelet transfusions.

The Chungs turned their struggle into action by starting yearly blood drives near their home in Hillsborough. Their town backed Harrison all the way: local teachers even made special dinosaur shirts saying, "Let's Make Leukemia Extinct."

Abbott joined forces with the Big Ten Conference's 18 schools for this contest. The winning school gets $1 million for health programs that help students or the community. Officials will name the winner at the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis on Dec. 6.

Want to give blood? Bring your photo ID. You should be at least 17 and weigh 110 pounds or more. Sixteen-year-olds can donate too: they just need parental approval and must weigh 120 pounds. Wait 56 days between donations.

Sign up at www.rwjuhdonorclub.org or www.BigTen.org/Abbott. Each donor gets a free Rutgers T-shirt and beanie, while supplies stay stocked.