Be Someone's Hero

National Lifesaving Initiative to Launch at International Firefighters Convention

The National Marrow Donor Program^® (NMDP) and The Marrow Foundation^® announce the launch of "Be Someone's Hero," a national initiative to recruit firefighters to the NMDP Registry of potential volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors.

A press conference will be held during the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) convention to launch the national initiative.

Firefighters are guided by the instinct to save lives. Because of this, many firefighters have already joined the NMDP Registry and view donating marrow or blood stem cells as simply an extension of their jobs. Las Vegas teenager Chantyl Peterson is grateful for that philosophy. If not for the selfless firefighter who was Chantyl's marrow donor, she would not be alive today.

The launch of Be Someone's Hero will feature Chantyl as she shares the amazing story of her life-saving marrow donor, Terry Farrell. Unfortunately, Terry, a New York City firefighter, was killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Terry's brother, Kevin Farrell, will be on hand to share in the launch of Be Someone's Hero.

"Terry saved my daughter's life. If it weren't for him, Chantyl would not be able to live the normal life of a teenager," said Sheri Peterson, Chantyl's mother. "I hope that through this program, other firefighters will step forward to help give a second chance at life to patients in need."

Be Someone's Hero is designed to tell the story of firefighters like Terry Farrell and raise awareness among firefighters, and the public, of the need for more people to join the NMDP Registry. Originally established at the Fire Training Academy in New York, Be Someone's Hero began in 1989 when Elaine Diedrich, whose brother was a New York City firefighter, needed a marrow transplant. Without a matching donor in her family, she sought a volunteer marrow donor to save her life. In her memory, Elaine's brother Mark Kwalwasser has recruited more than 7,500 New York City firefighters to the NMDP Registry; 44 who have gone on to donate their marrow or blood stem cells offering patients, like Elaine and Chantyl, a second chance at life.

The national launch of Be Someone's Hero will expand the initiative to include fire departments in New York City, Charlotte, Dallas and Las Vegas. The founder of the program, Mark Kwalwasser - Elaine's brother and a retired New York City firefighter - will participate in the press conference. During the launch, firefighters from all over the world who attend the convention will have the opportunity to join the NMDP Registry. Currently, the NMDP Registry contains more than 4.6 million potential volunteer donors from all over the world.

Be Someone's Hero is an initiative of the NMDP and The Marrow Foundation and supported by Good Neighbor Pharmacy. For more information on the NMDP and The Marrow Foundation, call 1-800-MARROW-2.