MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- In time for National Marrow Awareness Month in November, the National Marrow Donor Program(R) (NMDP) reached a significant milestone -- the facilitation of its 20,000th transplant as the NMDP launches its new campaign: 20,000 patients served, 20,000 donors to honor, and 20,000 stories to tell.
The “20,000 patients, 20,000 stories” campaign embodies the vital work of the National Marrow Donor Program and its Network by highlighting 24 inspiring stories of patients’ and donors’ journeys, the physicians who work with them, the medical pioneers advancing the science of transplant, and the NMDP’s critical function providing the search, support and match capability to bring patients and donors together for life-saving transplants.
“The 20,000th patient served marks a great milestone in the 17-year history of the National Marrow Donor Program,” said Dr. Jeffrey Chell, NMDP chief executive officer. “It is our hope that these stories from donors, patients, physicians and NMDP employees inspire more people from every race and ethnicity to support the search to connect donors and recipients and continue the life-saving work of the NMDP.”
To celebrate this milestone, the NMDP will be highlighting inspiring stories such as:
-- Raul Gonzalez, a Southern California construction apprentice who recovered from leukemia and changed careers. Instead of construction work, Raul chose to build the diversity of the NMDP Registry -- his job is to recruit and educate donors of Hispanic and Latino heritage and other people of color to the Registry. -- Brian Pressnall, a donor who joined the Registry in 1986 and was committed even when the call came 12 years later to give a 1-year-old Atlanta girl, Megan Bowen, a second chance at life. Today, Megan, age 7, bubbles with enthusiasm as she does cartwheels across the yard. -- Seattle Police Sgt. Randy Yamanaka, who became a life-saving donor and won the support of Washington Gov. Gary Locke, who issued an executive order allowing potential donors who are employees of executive government agencies time off with pay to become donors. -- Richard Champlin, M.D., chairman, Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who is a pioneer in making transplantation -- once a treatment option that could be granted only to the younger -- available to older patients. With this advance, the hope of life through transplant is being extended to thousands of people who otherwise would have none. -- Diego Lara, a 4-year-old Hispanic boy who received an umbilical cord blood transplant at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. A special recruitment project in 2002 led by the NMDP and supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration increased the number of cord blood units added to the NMDP Registry across all ethnic and racial groups, increasing the likelihood that patients of all racial backgrounds can find an appropriate match.
These and 19 other stories, collected in a book developed to mark this milestone, have been chosen to represent NMDP’s essential and unique role in the nation’s health care system, and share the NMDP commitment to:
-- Provide the broadest range of options for marrow and blood cell transplantation to secure the best possible match for patients -- Improve patient outcomes through training, accreditation and support for physicians -- Improve patient outcomes by spearheading and sponsoring research studies through its research partner, the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research(TM) (CIBMTR) The “20,000 patients, 20,000 stories” campaign also includes: -- Television and radio public services announcements that direct audiences to find out how they can help the NMDP support the search to match donors and recipients at http://www.marrow.org/ . -- “20,000 Second Chances - A Gala Celebration,” an event sponsored by The Marrow Foundation(R) in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. The event, which features the subjects of the 24 stories highlighted in the campaign, will benefit the NMDP’s research initiatives. Quincy Jones, music impresario extraordinaire, chairs the gala’s honorary committee and will attend the event. -- Congressional visits by donors, recipients and family members whose lives have been affected by the work of the NMDP to share their stories and express support for the NMDP and its life-saving mission.
The NMDP facilitated its first transplant in December 1987 after Congress established the NMDP Registry. Since, the Registry has grown steadily to more than 5 million potential donors and more than 35,000 cord blood units, and the number of transplants has increased each year.
“The search, support and match work of the National Marrow Donor Program progresses as we work to explore ways to extend transplant therapy to all who could benefit from it, and improve patient outcomes,” says Chell. “We will give voice to the next 20,000 stories and thousands of people will still be here to celebrate another day.”
Thumbnail sketches of all 24 stories are available on the NMDP Web site at http://www.marrow.org/20000 starting Nov. 1.
The National Marrow Donor Program(R) helps people who need a life-saving marrow or blood cell transplant. We connect patients, doctors, donors and researchers to the resources they need to help more people live longer and healthier lives. To achieve our mission, we:
-- Search our Registry -- the largest listing of volunteer donors and cord blood units in the world. -- Support patients and their doctors throughout the transplant process. -- Match patients with the best donor or cord blood unit using innovative science and technology.
National Marrow Donor Program
CONTACT: Kristen Thistle of NMDP, +1-612-884-8518, or Jennifer Bagdadeof PR UNSPUN, +1-651-690-0099
Web site: http://www.marrow.org/