Postal Service, NMDP Partnership Saves Lives

Jerry (center) and his wife meet Alice (right) in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) became the first organization to recruit 25,000 employees to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry of potential bone marrow or blood cell donors. This milestone celebration coincides with National Marrow Awareness Month. Join us in recognizing the wonderful contributions of partner organizations, like USPS, who demonstrate their support by making marrow donation an important part of their workplace culture. In a special USPS event celebrating the organization's recruitment achievement as a partner of the National Marrow Donor Program, Alice of Louisville, KY, met her donor, Jerry, a USPS employee.

In 2001, Alice went to her doctor seeking relief from leg pain. It came as a shock when she was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). She was told she would need a bone marrow or cord blood transplant. As a single mother, she made up her mind to do whatever was needed to be around to take care of her daughter, Amanda. But before anything could happen, her doctors needed to find her a donor.

Jerry worked the night shift at the United States Postal Service Central Processing Plant in San Antonio, Texas. He'd signed up to be a volunteer marrow donor as part of the Delivering the Gift of Life Initiative of The Marrow Foundation^®, the fund-raising partner of the National Marrow Donor Program. "I learned that I might be able to help save someone's life, so I signed up," Jerry said.

Jerry was called as a potential match and went on to donate marrow in 2003. He didn't know it at the time, but his gift saved Alice's life. When she needed a boost of T-cells in 2005, Jerry was there for her again.

"I'm just so happy to have more time with my daughter and family. No words can describe it!" said a very grateful Alice.