News
View the latest transplant news and stories.
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Edward Owusu Kwarteng PhD BSc MSc Honored With The 2023 ASH CIBMTR ASTCT Career Development Award
October 2023MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., May 24, 2023 – Results from a joint study between CIBMTR® (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research®)—a research collaboration between the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match® and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)—and the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) defining COVID-19 vaccine response in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) were recently published in eClinicalMedicine. -
National Marrow Donor Program NMDP Be The Match Partners with New York Blood Center Enterprises Comprehensive Cell Solutions and Vitalants Cell Therapy Lab Expands Access To Transplant
September 2023MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Underscoring its commitment to expanding access to cell and gene therapy, the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match® announced it increased capacity and enhanced its capabilities with the addition of Comprehensive Cell Solutions, part of New York Blood Center Enterprises, and Vitalant’s Cell Therapy Lab to its cryopreservation services (formerly BioBank). These new collaborations add industry-leading expertise in cryopreservation and storage of hematopoietic stem cells and will increase donor availability. -
Ossium Health Trials Off the Shelf Bone Marrow From Deceased Donors to Help Save More Lives
August 2023Ossium Health, an innovative bioengineering company, is accelerating its mission to revolutionize the field of bone marrow transplantation through a new partnership with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match, which manages the most diverse registry of blood stem cell donors and cord blood units in the world. This collaboration will enable blood cancer patients to access transplantable units of bone marrow from deceased donors through clinical trials, providing a much-needed complement to today’s living donor model. -
National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match® Names Christina Melief, Ph.D., Senior Scientific Advisor
July 2023Dr. Melief will work to simplify and accelerate the acquisition of cord blood units for transplant and cell and gene therapies through expanded access for transplant centers, cord blood banks, and cell and gene therapy companies. -
Results of Study on COVID-19 Vaccine Response in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Patients Published in eClinicalMedicine
May 2023MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., May 24, 2023 – Results from a joint study between CIBMTR® (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research®)—a research collaboration between the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match® and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)—and the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) defining COVID-19 vaccine response in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) were recently published in eClinicalMedicine. -
Results of Study on Cryopreserved Hematopoietic Stem Cell Grafts By CIBMTR Published in Blood Advances
April 2023The observational study showed that use of cryopreserved hematopoietic stem cell grafts, did not impact patient overall survival compared to fresh grafts during the first year after transplant. -
Study Shows Age Doesn’t Affect Survival Outcomes in Patients with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Who Undergo Allogeneic HCT
November 2021Results from a retrospective study presented at the 2018 BMT Tandem Meetings dispute age as a limiting factor to transplant eligibility, showing no differences in 4-year outcomes for patients older or younger than age 65.
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National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match® and CIBMTR® (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research®) note studies of older adults with MDS demonstrate significant survival benefit
December 2020BMT CTN research presented today at the 62nd ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.—DEC. 5, 2020— Initial results from a recent study indicate that for patients between the ages of 50 and 75, overall survival nearly doubled when patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) re
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Why race matter in transplants cellular therapies
July 2019Asking about a person’s race and/or ethnicity is a touchy topic in today’s world, yet these questions are routinely asked of both patients and potential stem cell donors. And many people wonder why. The simple answer is that decades of research have shown that donor-patient matching using race and ethnicity informa
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Understanding and meeting the psychosocial needs of sibling donors
May 2019Sibling donors are frequently the ideal donors for children needing a blood or marrow transplant (BMT). Because of their young age and relationship to patient, sibling donors have unique psychosocial needs that must be identified and addressed by the health care team.
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Beth Murphy Retires
May 2019The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP®)/Be The Match announces the upcoming retirement of Beth Murphy, Ed.D., R.N., Vice President of Patient Advocacy and Navigation.
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Free support groups provide patients and caregivers opportunities to connect
March 2019Life after a blood and marrow transplant (BMT) for a patient or caregiver, or life after the loss of a loved one after BMT, can be filled with questions, challenges and emotional hardship.
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Connect with our Be The Match Patient Support Center Staff
March 2019Packing for a conference soon? We hope to see you there! The Be The Match Patient Support Center staff regularly attends, exhibits and presents at a variety of professional conferences. Please take a few moments to learn about our programs and resources for you and your patients.
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New tool improves prediction of post-BMT outcomes in patients with MDS
March 2019Researchers have developed a new personalized blood and marrow transplant (BMT) outcomes prediction tool for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) that incorporates both genomic and clinical data.
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Mindfulness interventions help to reduce distress symptoms for hospitalized patients with blood cancers
March 2019Many patients with blood cancers who need inpatient care experience high levels of both physical and emotional distress. A pilot study at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., revealed that mindfulness exercises were effective in reducing symptoms of both types of distress.
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Free program streamlines clinical trial searches
January 2019The Jason Carter Clinical Trials Program (JCCTP) from the National Marrow Donor Program®/Be The Match® is your free resource to help simplify the clinical trial search process for you and your patients. And with new added features, the search process is now even easier.
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BMT caregivers find comfort and support through NMDP/Be The Match services
November 2018Facing new and demanding responsibilities, a caregiver for a blood and marrow transplant (BMT) patient may experience their own mental, physical and emotional challenges. Because of the significant role they play in a patient’s transplant journey, it’s essential that the caregiver’s unique and ongoing needs are addressed to increase the likelihood of a successful transplant outcome. -
BMT Caregivers: Effective support programs tailored to their needs
November 2018Caregivers need support and tools before and long after BMT. Fortunately, effective strategies to care for caregivers have been outlined in psychosocial research. And rather than create your own new program, you can access the many evidence-based programs that provide free support and resources.
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Bone Marrow Transplants: More Than Just Survival
May 2018An engagement awardee develops an agenda for research about the procedure’s impact on patients and caregivers. This article was originally published on the PCORI Blog. -
National Marrow Donor Program® Be The Match® Applauds Congress for $5 Million Boost to Vital Programs
May 2018Omnibus Bill Increases Funding for the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and National Cord Blood Inventory WASHINGTON – March 23, 2018 – National Marrow Donor Program ® (NMDP)/Be The Match ® , which operates the nation’s Be The Match Registry ® of potential adult volunteer marrow donors and donated
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National Marrow Donor Program® Be The Match® Applauds New Legislation to Protect Patient Access to Life-Saving Transplants for Medicare Beneficiaries
November 2017National Marrow Donor Program ® /Be The Match ® Applauds New Legislation to Protect Patient Access to Life-Saving Transplants for Medicare Beneficiaries WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 7, 2017 National Marrow Donor Program ® (NMDP)/Be The Match ® today announced its strong support for H.R. 4215, which would
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Be The Match BioTherapies Announces Collaboration Agreement with Magenta Therapeutics
May 2017Strategic partnership aims to expand the use of stem cell transplant to immune and blood-based diseases MINNEAPOLIS-May 2, 2017 -- Be The Match BioTherapies SM , an organization offering solutions for delivering autologous and allogeneic cellular therapies, today announced that it has entered into a strateg
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Nation’s Bone Marrow Program Formally Requests Additional Funds from Congress to Address Growing Patient Need for Life-Saving Transplants
March 2017NMDP/Be The Match Press Release – Written testimony submitted by National Marrow Donor Program CEO Dr. Jeffrey Chell outlines urgent need to diversify cord blood and bone marrow banks to reach more ethnic groups, older patients. -
National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Be The Match Forms New Cellular Therapies Subsidiary
January 2016NMDP/Be The Match Press Release -- National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match®, the national organization that connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant, today announced the formation of Be The Match BioTherapiesSM, a subsidiary that will focus on partnering with organizations pursuing new life-saving treatments in cellular therapy. -
Fire Department of New York Presented with Rod Carew Leadership Award
May 2015NMDP/Be The Match Press Release — Be The Match® will honor the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) with the Rod Carew Leadership Award, which is presented annually to an extraordinary community leader for their dedication to saving lives -
International Marrow Donor Registries Reach 25 Million Potential Donors
March 2015NMDP/Be The Match Press Release – This week, Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide (BMDW) and the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) announced that a record 25 million people worldwide are currently listed as potential volunteer marrow donors in hopes of saving the lives of those battling life-threatening blood cancers and diseases. -
The National Marrow Donor Program Be The Match Applauds Reps. Jolly and Matsui for Creating Congressional Caucus to Increase Awareness about Transplants
January 2015NMDP/Be The Match Press Release — The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match® CEO Dr. Jeffrey Chell expressed his gratitude to U.S. Congressional Reps. David Jolly (R-FL) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) for their creation of the Congressional Caucus to Cure Blood Cancers and Other Blood Disorders. -
HIV-Positive Patients with Lymphoma Should No Longer be Excluded From Receiving Blood Stem Cell Transplants as Treatment
December 2014NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - HIV-positive patients with lymphoma were previously excluded from receiving autologous blood stem cell transplants as treatment, because of concern that these patients’ compromised immune systems would have a higher risk of infection and poor graft function due to their need for HIV medications. Results from the clinical trial, presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) meetings on December 8 at 4:45 p.m. PST, show the concern of additional risk is unfounded -
Similar Survival Rates in Children with High Risk Blood Cancers Transplanted with One Versus Two Umbilical Cord Blood Units
October 2014NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Based on promising early studies, a new study was performed to compare transplant outcomes in children transplanted with one or two partially matched cord blood units. According to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, survival rates were high in both treatment arms with no differences in survival whether transplanted with one or two units. -
Roadmap to Future BMT CTN trials focus of Pre-ASH symposium
October 2014Be The Match Feature Story – Physicians who refer for transplant or perform transplant can quickly get up to speed on the roadmap for future Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) trials in the U.S. Join us for A Report from the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network State of the Science Symposium 2014, a CME satellite symposium preceding the 2014 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting -
Large Majority of Patients Who Need Unrelated Bone Marrow Transplants Can Find a Matching Donor on the National Be The Match Registry
July 2014NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - An overwhelming percentage of patients who need an unrelated bone marrow transplant will have a suitably matched, available donor on the Be The Match Registry ® , operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match® , according to a new study published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine. -
Case-Based CME Shares Latest CLL and MCL Research and Outcomes
June 2014Be The Match Feature Story – The National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match is now offering a new CME activity for hematologists/oncologists who treat CLL or MCL. A Case-Based Approach to CLL and MCL: Novel Therapies and Transplant Options explores challenging questions with evolving therapies for patients with CLL and MCL. -
Falcons Linebacker Laces Up for Be The Match
April 2014Be The Match Feature Story - Paul Worrilow made a name for himself this year with the Atlanta Falcons. The 230-pound linebacker led the team with 127 tackles, and was recognized for his grit and determination on the field. Off the field, he's using that same grit and determination to help a 23-year-old female battling leukemia. Read about Paul’s life-changing marrow donation story and learn how you can join him in lacing up for Be The Match Walk+Run -
Ever Wonder What Happens to a Cheek Swab After Someone Joins Be The Match Registry?
April 2014Be The Match Feature Story - The cotton swab is just the beginning. Learn what happens to an individual's cheek swab sample to add a person to the Be The Match marrow donor registry. -
Be The Match Partners with Illume to Pay Tribute to Mothers and Caregivers
April 2014Be The Match Feature Story - This Mother’s Day, Be The Match is partnering with Illume, a popular candle company to pay tribute to mothers and caregivers who have selflessly cared for loved ones going through a marrow transplant. -
Dr. Mary Horowitz Presented with Lifetime Achievement Award for Blood and Marrow Transplant Research
March 2014National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match Press Release - Mary Horowitz, M.D., M.S., the Robert A. Uihlein, Jr. Chair in Hematologic Research, professor of medicine and chief of hematology and oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), was presented with the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) at the organization’s annual meeting. The award recognizes her involvement and support of the blood and marrow transplant community, and her past, present and current stewardship of both CIBMTR® (the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research®) and the Clinical Trials Network. She was also commended for her commitment to mentoring the next generation of clinical scientists. -
Love Conquers All - Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse Shares Her Own Transplant Journey
February 2014Be The Match Feature Story - Becky has had a rough journey over the past two decades, beginning with the news that she had chronic myeloid leukemia at the age of 18. The road to recovery was long and heartbreaking with more than six relapses before receiving a bone marrow transplant from a Be The Match donor.While her road to transplant was rough, along the way Becky found her true love, Clint and her love for helping people as a bone marrow transplant nurse. -
“With true gratitude and love in my heart, I knew that I needed to give back in some way.”
February 2014Be The Match Feature Story - In 2010, just four days before exchanging Valentine’s Day hugs and kisses, life changed for Traci and her family. Doctors discovered a rare brain tumor, known as a craniopharyngioma, growing on her daughter Camden’s pituitary gland.
After watching her daughter beat this life-threatening disease, Traci desired to help other families dealing with serious illnesses. “With true gratitude and love in my heart, I knew that I needed to give back in some way,” she said. “I wanted to give the gift I received to someone else.” Traci decided to join the Be The Match Registry®, hoping she could help save someone’s life — which she did, just two years later.
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Robin Roberts Collaborates with Be The Match and Stand Up To Cancer
February 2014NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Two-time cancer survivor and Be The Match Ambassador of Hope, Robin Roberts is starting 2014 by raising awareness with a public service announcement (PSA) campaign collaboration between Be The Match and Stand Up To Cancer®, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
Robin, anchor of Good Morning America, debuted these new PSAs on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The PSAs, titled “I Beat Cancer. Twice” and “Focus on the Fight. Not The Fright,” emphasize two critical ways to help save the lives of patients battling blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma: supporting cutting-edge research and increasing the number of volunteer bone marrow donors on the national Be The Match Registry.
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Be The Match Walk+Run 2014 Dates and Cities Announced
February 2014Be The Match Feature Story - The annual Be The Match Walk+Run series brings together our passionate community to celebrate and provide hope for patients searching for a match. -
22-Year-Old Aruni Donated PBSC in Honor of a Member of Her Community
December 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Many people join Be The Match Registry® in hopes of becoming a match for a family member, friend, or someone in their community. When a member of her community was diagnosed with leukemia in 2009, Aruni did just that. She joined the Be The Match Registry at a registration drive held on his behalf. In the end, Aruni was not a match and the patient that motivated her to join passed away. Through it all, Aruni stuck with her commitment to Be The Match and remained on the registry, hoping she could help someone else.
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Life: The Most Precious Gift
November 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Janet and Ron give thanks for Ava’s life every day. When Ava was just six months old, they took her to the doctor with what they believed was “just a cold” and learned she had a life threatening blood disease. -
A Home for the Holidays
November 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Z was almost two and living in a residential facility for seriously ill children when he was matched with a donor through the Be The Match Registry®. During his transplant and recovery, he met the woman who would later become his mom. She says they won “the lottery of life.” -
New Day Celebrates Giving the Tuesday after Thanksgiving
November 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Be The Match has joined #GivingTuesday, a first of its kind effort to transform how people think about the giving season and create a better world. -
Sealed With A Promise (S.W.A.P.) Bracelet Now Available
November 2013Be The Match Feature Story - New York Times best-selling author Lisi Harrison has partnered with online jewelry and accessories retailer gorjana & griffin to create the exclusive Sealed With A Promise (S.W.A.P.) bracelet. As a passionate supporter of Be The Match, Lisi has asked that 100% of the proceeds for the gorjana & griffin S.W.A.P. bracelet be donated to Be The Match in memory of her children’s beloved nanny, Jocy, who passed away during her search for a marrow match. -
Latest Developments in CLL and MCL
November 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Physicians are invited to attend CLL and MCL: Conventional Therapies and Transplant Options, a satellite symposium preceding the 2013 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting -
In Memoriam: Congressman C.W. Bill Young
October 2013Be The Match Feature Story - The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) /Be The Match® is deeply saddened by the passing of United States Congressman C.W. Bill Young. -
Abby’s “Destiny to Donate Marrow”
October 2013Be The Match Feature Story - When Abby first found out that she was a perfect match for a young boy in California, she could not have been more excited! “I was surprised, excited and shocked to have been chosen so quickly, since I had just joined the registry four months earlier!” said Abby. Although her loved ones were a bit hesitant to the idea of her donating marrow, Abby felt that it was her destiny.
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Giving a Child the Gift of Life
October 2013Be The Match Feature Story -Leukemia accounts for about 1 in 3 cancer cases in children, making it the most common form of childhood cancer. -
Race Matters When a Patient Needs a Stem Cell or Marrow Transplant
August 2013NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Washington Post contributor Arthur Allen wrote an article about the importance of adding more diverse members to the national Be The Match Registry. -
Cord Blood Transplant Renews Teen's Health and Perspective on Life
July 2013Be The Match Feature Story - July is Cord Blood Awareness Month and Elizabeth is celebrating the gift of cord blood that saved her life. Today, as she gets ready for college, she looks back on her tough journey with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). -
Donating Not Once, But Twice to Give a Young Boy Life
July 2013Be The Match Feature Story - When she first joined the Be The Match Registry®, Bhairavi was hopeful that she would match her dear friend with leukemia. When the test results came back stating that she was not a match, Bhairavi became discouraged. But little did she know, years down the road, she would be given the opportunity to donate not once, but twice to save another boy's life. -
Cancer Survivor Hits the Road with Milwaukee Brewers
July 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Twenty-five-year-old Ben, a two-time cancer survivor, quit his job to go on the road with the Milwaukee Brewers to raise awareness about Be The Match.
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Two-Time Donor Describes Donation as “The Best Feeling”
June 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Johnathan is living proof of the statement, “be the change you want to see in the world,” donating peripheral blood stem cells, or PBSC (one of two methods of donation) twice to save the life of a patient named Melissa.
“After my first donation people asked me if I would ever do it again and I replied, ‘in a heartbeat,’” said Johnathan. “So here I am four years later going back in.”
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National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Names Amy Ronneberg CFO
June 2013NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) and Be The Match® today announced that Amy Ronneberg will be joining the organization on July 15 as chief financial officer (CFO). Ronneberg’s breadth of expertise and experience in strategic financial planning will be instrumental in her new role.
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NMDP/Be The Match Named Top Minnesota Workplace
June 2013NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), also publicly known as Be The Match®, is one of the Top 100 Workplaces in Minnesota for the third year in a row, based on results from the Star Tribune’s annual employee survey. The NMDP and Be The Match was ranked No. 29 on the list of large companies, those employing 500 or more. -
Skin GVHD: How to Spot and Tips to Manage
May 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Graft-versus-host disease (or GVHD) of the skin is a reality for many transplant recipients. As a common side effect of transplant, it can affect many parts of the body. Dr. Stephanie Lee and Everett, a transplant recipient, offer insights and advice to help.
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New Research Shows Significant Improvement in Overall Survival Outcomes for Patients Receiving Blood Stem Cell Transplants
May 2013NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Survival rates have increased significantly among patients who received blood stem cell transplants from both related and unrelated donors, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology today. The study authors attribute the increase to several factors, including advances in HLA tissue typing, better supportive care and earlier referral for transplantation.
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Craving Connections After Transplant: Young Adults Reach Out to Peers for Hope and Healing
May 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Young adult transplant recipients Matt and Kayla describe the ups and downs of their transplant journeys and how connecting with others helped them to heal.
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“A Cord Blood Donation Saved My Life After Relapse” - Krista's Story
May 2013Be The Match Feature Story - For Krista, a relapse of her acute myeloid leukemia meant that she would need a marrow transplant to live. The only match found was with donated cord blood that had been frozen for 10 years, waiting for a patient like Krista.
“Without the life-saving decision of that Australian mommy to donate her baby's cord blood to the public registry,” said Krista, “I wouldn't be here today to raise my own two boys!”
In honor of her fourth transplant birthday, Krista hosted a Be The Match marrow registry drive to help recruit new potential marrow donors.
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What Hurricane? Firefighter, Craig Donates during Rita
May 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Craig, a firefighter from Pasadena, Texas, was used to putting himself in danger to help others. “After 28 years of saving people from all types of terrible things, I thought donating marrow was nothing more than an extension of who I am and what I do,” said Craig. What he was not prepared for was answering the call to donate in the midst of Hurricane Rita
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'Team Tanner' Family, Friends and Hockey Community Celebrate Tanner’s Life
April 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Tanner and his family were life-long LA Kings fans. In February 2011, their family, with the help of Be The Match held a donor registration drive at an LA Kings game, registering 300 new potential donors and raising more than 5,000 dollars.
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Thrilled by the Miracle that I Was Chosen as a Match!
April 2013Be The Match Feature Story - The call to donate can happen at any time—three months, five years or even longer (if ever at all) after someone has joined the Be The Match Registry®. Susan, a long-time blood donor and Be The Match Registry member, was listed on the registry for 17 years before she got the call to donate. Her story is like the story of many—and a testament to why all registry members should stand ready, willing and able to donate during their time on the registry.
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Three-Year-Old Ben Fought for His Life and Won
March 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Today, Ben is a happy and outgoing five-year-old boy who enjoys his friends and new school routine. But Ben’s happiness was not without its struggles. In January 2011, Ben visited the doctor due to severe bruising—the first indication of his illness, congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT), a rare inherited bone marrow failure disease in young children. After receiving a second opinion, Ben’s parents decided that a marrow transplant was their son’s best chance at survival.
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Know Your Risk Factors for Developing Heart Problems After Transplant
February 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Certain types of treatment before your transplant or complications that happen after transplant can sometimes increase a patient's risk of heart problems. Dr. Saro Armenian explains some of the signs and symptoms to look for, questions to ask a doctor, and what patients can do now to improve heart health.
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World-Champion Boxer Robert Guerrero Teams Up With Be The Match
February 2013NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Bone marrow donated from a total stranger saved Robert Guerrero’s wife. Now the grateful world champion boxer is joining Be The Match® in the fight to make life-saving marrow transplants available for every blood cancer patient who needs one.
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“I Walk for People Who Have Nothing Left Except Hope.”
February 2013Be The Match Feature Story - Gary, a 61-year-old physical education teacher walks to provide hope—hope for those in need of a marrow transplant. After his colleague Aggie was diagnosed with a blood cancer as a result of her treatments for breast cancer, Gary got tested to see if he was a marrow match. Gary ultimately found out that he was not a match for Aggie and decided to help by getting involved with Be The Match. Since 2011, Gary has walked in every Be The One Run®, now Be The Match Walk+Run event—remotely from his home in Montana and now in memory of Aggie.
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Robin Roberts Returns to Good Morning America After Transplant
February 2013Be The Match Feature Story - On Wednesday, February 20, news anchor Robin Roberts made her return to Good Morning America —five months to the day after her marrow transplant to treat myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
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1 Millionth Blood Stem Cell Transplant Marks Major Medical Milestone
January 2013NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - The collaborative work of medical scientists and physicians across the globe has resulted in a major medical milestone: the world’s 1 millionth blood stem cell transplant, a procedure that has become a proven and essential therapy for many patients battling blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, as well as other critical diseases.
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“They Were All So Proud, But to Me, It Was a ‘No Brainer.’”
January 2013Be The Match Feature Story- Twenty-two-year-old Matt is a recent college graduate. During his time at Rhode Island University, Matt was a starting offensive lineman. Motivated by a request from his coach and a passion for the cause, Matt joined the Be The Match Registry and volunteered at the football team’s annual bone marrow registry drive.
Just two years after joining the registry, in the spring of 2011, Matt received the news that he was someone’s marrow match and he had the potential to save a life.
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Be The Match Marshals Social Volunteers to Help Save Lives on MLK Day of Service
January 2013NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Americans turn out in force every year to help their neighbors in need during the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, putting their time toward building communities and improving lives.
This year, Be The Match® is tapping the power of social media to provide another way for people to take part in this important day of community service, which honors one of the most inspirational leaders in the nation’s history.
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Eleven Awards Honor Outstanding Contributions to Be The Match
December 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Individuals and organizations from across the U.S. were recognized by Be The Match® on Nov. 9 at the nonprofit organization’s 25th Annual Council Meeting in Minneapolis. -
“Thanks to you, my recipient and I can be ‘bone buddies’ forever”
December 2012Be The Match Feature Story - On Saturday, Nov. 10, transplant recipient Jenna met her donor Maxine for the first time at the annual Council Meeting for Be The Match®.
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New Research Shows Significant Improvement in Survival
December 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Survival rates have increased significantly over the past decade among patients with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases who received blood stem cell transplants from donors outside of their families, according to new research.
Results of the recent study – presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology in Atlanta – showed that the one-year survival rate for all unrelated transplant patients improved 12 to 13 percent between 2000 and 2009, and a large percentage of patients improvements through their three-year follow-up.
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Recipient and Donor Overcome Together
November 2012Be The Match Feature Story - Six-year-old Finn and his donor, Melissa were matched when they needed each other the most. Finn needed Melissa to survive Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome, a fatal hereditary immune system disorder, and Finn helped Melissa honor her mother’s struggle with cancer.
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“You Made a Choice that Many People Don’t Make.” Parent’s Personal Thank You to Donor
October 2012Be The Match Feature Story - At four months old, Clara was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes abnormal myeloblasts (a type of white blood cell), red blood cells, or platelets. Her chances at survival were slim, but thankfully John, a college football player, joined the Be The Match Registry when Clara was just 17 days old. John turned out to be the perfect match for Clara—matching 10 out of a possible 10 human leukocyte antigen (HLA) markers.
A year after Clara’s transplant, her parents received John’s contact information and wrote him a letter. These heartfelt words are a testament to the importance of every single registry member.
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Robin Roberts Asks America, “If You Had the Power to Save a Life, Would You?”
October 2012Be The Match Feature Story - Robin is urging the public to offer a cure to someone with blood cancer, by joining the Be The Match Registry®. Watch her public service announcement that aired on Good Morning America on September 27, 2012.
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Be The Match Focuses on Building a Younger Registry
October 2012Be The Match Feature Story - Did you know that registry members ages 18 - 44 are requested by transplant doctors more than 90 percent of the time? This is why Be The Match® is strengthening its attention on recruiting younger individuals to join the registry.
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Study Compares Unrelated Marrow and PBSC Transplant Outcomes
October 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - A large prospective, randomized study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) compared outcomes of patients receiving transplantation with either peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) or bone marrow from unrelated donors. While there was no difference in patient survival rates between these two major sources of donated blood cells, the study showed differences in the type and extent of complications.
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Donor and Recipient Meet for First Time on ABC’s Good Morning America
September 2012Be The Match Feature Story - Last month, millions tuned in as Good Morning America featured a live donor-recipient meeting hosted by anchor, Robin Roberts.
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ABC’s Robin Roberts Teams up with Be The Match to Help Save Lives
September 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - As a broadcast journalist, Robin Roberts has asked some tough questions of famous people, including athletes, business leaders and even the president. But in a series of new public service announcements (PSAs), she asks ordinary people across the country: “If you had the power to save a life, would you?”
The new campaign, which includes the PSAs as well as outdoor advertisements, is part of Robin’s effort to raise awareness for Be The Match®, the global leader in providing bone marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants to patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases. Robin herself recently underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a disease also known as pre-leukemia.
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'This can't be happening to me...' Mother of Three Thrives After Marrow Transplant
August 2012Be The Match Feature Story - In 2010, Lisa received a bone marrow transplant that saved her life. Today, she is one of the biggest advocates for Be The Match—stirring excitement among her community for the cause.
Now Lisa is reaching out to friends, family and anyone who will listen with the goal of getting more young people on the registry—especially those of a diverse heritage.
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Mother of two will finally meet the young man who saved her life
August 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Erika Turner was a busy mom of two teenage boys and working full-time at a local hospital, so when she started feeling tired and noticed a bit of bruising on her body, she wasn’t immediately suspicious. But a resident at the hospital pointed out that it looked like her platelets were low, and encouraged Erika to have it checked out. After numerous tests that week, Erika was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) with Philadelphia positive chromosome in September 2010.
Doctors knew immediately that Erika would need a bone marrow transplant to survive. Now, two years after receiving a life-saving transplant, Erika will finally be able to thank Christopher, her donor, in person. The two will be introduced for the first time live on ABC’s Good Morning America on Wednesday, Aug. 22.
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Dwight and Ray—More in common than most brothers
July 2012Be The Match Feature Story - Dwight and Ray share a rare bond—they both had the opportunity to save a life through marrow donation.
Dwight, a medical technologist donated peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) to a patient in 2000. Ray, an EMT and professional firefighter was used to saving lives, but in 2010 he too had the opportunity to save a life—donating bone marrow to his son, Morgan.
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Marrow Transplant Patients and Advocates Rally Congress to Support Be The Match
July 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - People from across the country whose lives have been impacted by bone marrow donation – whether they have received a transplant or donated bone marrow to a stranger – will converge in Washington, D.C. on July 18. Their goal: to urge continued Congressional support of Be The Match®, the global leader in providing bone marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants to patients with life-threatening blood cancers.
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Wife of Supercross champion, Jeremy McGrath, waits for her transplant
June 2012Be The Match Feature Story - Seven-time Supercross champion, Jeremy McGrath and his wife, Kim are spreading the word about Be The Match. Kim was recently diagnosed with Leukemia and needs a marrow transplant to live.
The McGraths are stepping up and using their story to reach into the community. They are encouraging everyone to give what they can and donate much needed funds to help add more new members to the Be The Match Registry.
Kim recently sent a heartfelt letter of thanks to
Be The Match and everyone on the registry. -
Good Morning America Anchor, Robin Roberts announces MDS diagnosis
June 2012Be The Match Feature Story - When Robin Roberts, anchor on Good Morning America and a breast cancer survivor, announced her diagnosis with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a heightened awareness was created about the need for more marrow donors.
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A Father Pays it Forward
April 2012Be The Match Feature Story - Four years ago a stranger saved Jiro Okochi’s one-year-old son, Finn. Finn was born with a fatal immune system disorder, one of 70 diseases treated with a marrow transplant.
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Marrow Transplant Patient Shares Jazz Compositions
March 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - A Chicago man who recently underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat lymphoma is thinking of others as he recovers. Judson Green, a former executive with The Walt Disney Company and Navteq Corp., crafted a CD of jazz piano compositions. Proceeds from the iTunes sales benefit all patients in need of a marrow transplant through contributions to Be The Match Foundation®.
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ASBMT Joins the NMDP to Support the Amy Strelzer Manasevit Research Program
March 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation® (ASBMT) is rallying the support of its membership and other stakeholders so that more patients can benefit from life-saving research.
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Coalition Says PBSC Donor Compensation Poses Health Risks to Patients and Donors
February 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - A coalition of eight leading international health organizations today issued a statement supporting the U.S. Department of Justice’s appeal of the Ninth Circuit Court ruling that allows certain marrow donors to be compensated. Filed Jan. 17, the Justice Department’s appeal cites the potential for serious health risks to patients and donors if the ruling stands.
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American Express Is First To Provide Grant to Support Online Registration for Be The Match
January 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - American Express, in an effort to grow the Be The Match Registry®, is the first organization to provide a grant that will help -
Run-Walk Fundraising Event Expands
January 2012NMDP/Be The Match Press Release - Be The Match® has announced that its Be The One Run fundraising run/walk event will expand to 10 cities in 2012. Columbus, Ohio; Richmond, Va.; San Jose, Calif. and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla will join Atlanta, Ga.; Charlotte, N.C.; Houston, Texas; Long Beach, Calif.; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.; and Portland, Ore. for the 2012 series.
These run/walk fundraising events give patients with leukemia, lymphoma and 70 other life-threatening diseases a second chance at life. Every step participants take helps patients receive the marrow transplant they need.
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Transplant Patient and Doctor Take Coastal Bike Ride Together
July 2011Be The Match Feature Story - The Chair of Be The Match Foundation’s Atlanta Leadership Council, Dr. Amelia Langston, joined one of her transplant recipient patients, Bob, at the end of his fundraising bike trip down the East Coast. Bob is not only a transplant survivor, but also one of our Atlanta Be The One Run Planning Committee Members helping plan and organize that event to make it a success and raise funds to help other marrow and cord blood transplant patients.