Hendrick Marrow Program Created in 1996

NMDP Saddened by Deaths in Hendrick Motorsports Plane Crash

We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the weekend plane crash that claimed the lives of several members of the Hendrick Motorsports organization, including the son, brother and two nieces of owner Rick Hendrick. Ten persons died in the crash near Martinsville, Va.

We express our deepest sympathy to Rick and his family, as well as to the families associated with Hendrick Motorsports, who have been longtime active advocates and supporters of The Marrow Foundation and the National Marrow Donor Program^® (NMDP). Rick has served on the Foundation's Board of Directors since 1998.

In 1997, Rick Hendrick created the Hendrick Marrow Program in collaboration with The Marrow Foundation and the NMDP to help add new volunteers to the NMDP Registry and to provide assistance to patients following a marrow or blood cell transplant. Because of the work of Rick and the Hendrick Marrow Program and the employees of the Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Motorsports team, thousands of volunteers have joined the NMDP Registry and have increased awareness about our work. More information is available about the Hendrick Marrow Program on The Marrow Foundation's Web site at http://www.themarrowfoundation.org/DONOR/hendrick_marrow_program.html.

In addition, Rick's desire to help recipients post-transplant with funds raised by the Hendrick Marrow Program and the Foundation led to the creation of a model transplant support assistance program. Administered by the NMDP's Office of Patient Advocacy, this program provides coverage for housing, meals, prescriptions and insurance premium payments for families during the transplant and post-transplant process.

Rick and Linda Hendrick were honored by The Marrow Foundation with the E. Donnell and Dorothy E. Thomas Leadership for Life Award in 1999. In 2000, Hendrick Motorsports received the NMDP's Admiral Zumwalt Corporate Award.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hendrick family and the families of all those who perished.