MIDDLETON, Wis. — Betsy Deitte spent years as a nurse watching blood transfusions help patients recover. After she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, she needed about 36 transfusions herself. Now three years into deep remission, Deitte is encouraging people to donate as UW-Madison joins 17 other Big Ten schools in the We Give Blood competition. The campaign runs this week, with UW hosting public blood drives Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 at the Nicholas Recreation Center. Deitte was studying at UW-Madison to become a nurse practitioner and earn a doctorate in nursing practice when she received her diagnosis. She was hospitalized the following day and spent about 30 to 35 days in the hospital, with a brief break at home in between. Chemotherapy stopped her bone marrow from producing red and white blood cells and platelets, leaving her vulnerable to infection and bleeding. At times, she said, she waited days for a blood match. The Red Cross brought in blood products from other states, including Virginia and Alabama. “If I wouldn’t have had those 36 units, I wouldn’t be here today,” Deitte said. She said each donation felt like a gift from someone who had become part of her life, even though she did not know who they were. The competition, now in its third year, asks students, alumni, fans and other community members to donate on behalf of their Big Ten school. The winning school receives a $1 million grant. UW-Madison won last year after generating more than 15,000 donations, and had the highest share of in-state donors among participating schools. The campaign comes as the American Red Cross has declared a blood crisis. Dr. Patrick Shahan, a UW-Madison acute care surgeon and adult trauma medical director, said he uses blood almost daily to treat trauma, burn and other critically ill patients. Shahan said there are no good alternatives to blood products. Intravenous fluids can help in some circumstances, he said, but do not carry oxygen through the body as blood does. When supplies run low, hospitals may have to weigh limiting transfusions, postponing planned surgeries or finding blood for patients with rare types. A typical transfusion may involve one or two bags, Shahan said, while patients with major blood loss can need dozens. He encouraged people who are uncertain about whether they qualify to speak with blood-drive staff, who can assess eligibility and explain when someone might be able to donate. UW’s drives at the Nicholas Recreation Center are open to the public, with appointments available online and walk-ins welcome. The campaign is also seeking to bring more younger people into the donor pool, which currently relies mostly on older adults. For Deitte, the appeal is personal: blood, she said, cannot be manufactured, and a donation can be a powerful way for one person to help another.