ANN ARBOR, MI - Roll up your sleeves and get ready to make room for the maize and blue tie-dye wristband that will add a new look and momentum to the successful “M GO BLUE for Mott” wristband campaign underway at the University of Michigan.

Once again, the U-M Athletic Department and U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital will band together to sell the newest style of the “M GO BLUE for Mott” rubber wristbands in support of the U-M Health System's campaign to build a new children's and women's hospital.

The new maize and blue tie-dye bands will officially go on sale at U-M Football Fan Day, scheduled to take place from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 27 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The wristband will be on sale again at Michigan Stadium during Michigan 's first home football game on Sept. 3, when the Wolverines are set to take on Northern Illinois.

The new wristbands, like the original blue bands that made their debut at the 2004 Michigan vs. Michigan State football game, will sell for $2, with proceeds benefiting the children's and women's hospital fundraising campaign.

Thanks to support from Mott campaign co-chair and head football coach Lloyd Carr and the U-M football program, ice hockey coach Red Berenson and men's basketball coach Tommy Amaker, nearly 500,000 of the original blue wristbands have been sold since October 2004. About 90 local schools and organizations also played a major role in to the success of the wristband sales.

To date, the blue “M GO Blue for Mott” wristband sales have contributed more than $400,000 to the hospital campaign. In all, Mott has raised more than $35 million toward the construction of a new hospital, which includes a $25 million grant from the C.S Mott Foundation and a $4 million grant from the Detroit-based Carls Foundation.

If you can't make it out to U-M Football Fan Day or Michigan's first home game, you can purchase the new maize and blue tie-dye wristbands, along with the original blue bands, online through Mott at www.med.umich.edu/mott. In addition, the "M GO BLUE for Mott" wristbands will be sold at M-Den, local Dunhams Sporting Goods stores, Campus Den Stores in Michigan and Moe Sports Stop in Ann Arbor.

Following are comments from Michigan head coaches:

Lloyd Carr, Head Football Coach :
"This is a cause greater than I am. It is not about aesthetics. It's about more beds, it's about technology, it's about constructing a 21st century building that will allow physicians to move forward with what will be the next generation of therapies and treatments for children in the years to come. These children and their families are the bravest of the brave and they deserve nothing less. They are the reason why my wife, Laurie, and I have made a commitment to help build a new hospital facility. And I believe the day the new hospital is built will be one of the greatest victories in Michigan history."

Red Berenson, Head Ice Hockey Coach:
"Mott Children's Hospital has a special place in my heart. My twin grandchildren spent their first 11 weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit, and every time I see them I am reminded of how fortunate my family was to be able to receive the quality care from this special children's hospital. I support the ‘M Go Blue for Mott' wristband campaign and encourage others to partake in this important endeavor."

Tommy Amaker, Head Men's Basketball Coach:
"I am honored to be a part of this vital campaign for a new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. I hope we can make a real difference."

About the U-M C.S. Mott Children's & Women's Hospital campaign
The U-M Health System began its campaign to build a new children's and women's hospital in May 2004. The campaign, led by co-chairs U-M head football coach Lloyd Carr, U-M Regent and former Wolverine football player David A. Brandon, and wives Laurie Carr and Jan Brandon, is part of the $2.5 billion Michigan Difference campaign taking place throughout the University.

Already, Mott has raised more than $35 million toward the construction of a new hospital, including a $25 million grant from the C.S Mott Foundation, a $4 million grant from the Detroit-based Carls Foundation and more than $400,000 in “M GO BLUE for Mott” wristband sales.

Coach Carr and the U-M football program have helped contribute to the success of the new hospital campaign through the annual “Carr's Wash for Kids,” a community event sponsored by Michigan International Speedway. This summer, the team washed 583 cars and raised $115,000 for the campaign. And at last year's inaugural event, the team raised more than $75,000 for Mott.

Plans to build the new $498 million children's and women's hospital were approved by the U-M Board of Regents in April 2005. The U-M C.S. Mott Children's and Women's Hospital Replacement Project, a 1 million-square-foot facility, is designed to meet increasing patient demand and accommodate future research, education and clinical care innovations, which its existing facilities are unable to accommodate.

The new facility will give existing inpatient and outpatient services, the Birth Center, the world-renowned Michigan Congenital Heart Center and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit housed within Mott the space they need to grow well into the 21 st century of medical care and research, and the ability to continue to provide the best care for newborns, children and pregnant women in Michigan and across the globe.

More information about the UMHS campaign to build a new children's and women's hospital is online at www.med.umich.edu/mott.

Related links:
UMHS plans new children's and women's hospital
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2005/regentmott.htm

M Go Blue for Mott campaign underway
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2004/wristband.htm

U-M football coach, Regent to co-chair Mott campaign
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2004/mottchairs.htm

Written by Krista Hopson

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