Marrow Donor Recruitment

UAW and Ford Launch a Life-Saving Campaign

The United Auto Workers (UAW) and Ford Motor Company are launching a pilot employee donor recruitment campaign to enlist volunteers for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry. The program includes five Ford plants in Southeast Michigan and may be expanded nationally. The Dearborn Stamping Plant hosts a drive today and tomorrow. All events coincide with American Red Cross blood drives. The goal is to register 1,000 Ford employees with the NMDP, especially minority employees.

"If you or your family has been touched by leukemia or a similar blood disorder, you know how these kinds of deadly diseases can quickly transform even the most physically fit and vibrant into critically ill victims," said Dr. Vince Kerr, medical director at Ford Motor Company. "Ford employees have a long history of supporting a number of causes that greatly benefit not only their workforce but the community at-large."

The procedure to become a volunteer marrow or blood stem-cell donor consists of a simple blood test and takes only a few minutes.

"This is another kind of program that is a perfect example of the UAW and Ford joining forces to save lives," said Phil Rose, International Representative, Coordinator of Benefits, UAW National Ford Department.

African Americans, Asians, Hispanics and American Indians are under-represented on the NMDP Registry, making the need for minority donors especially critical. Characteristics of marrow and blood stem cells are inherited, so a person is more likely to find a match within his or her own ethnic community.

"With its diverse workforce, Ford is in a unique position to increase the number of volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors on the registry. Each person and each company has the ability to make a difference," said Dr. Jeffrey Chell, NMDP chief executive officer.

Only 30 percent of patients in need find a match within their immediate family. The other 70 percent rely on the National Marrow Donor Registry. At any given time, 3,000 patients are searching for their life-saving matches.

Drives are open to Ford employees who work at the facilities or are doing business there at the time of an event. Other donor locations for this year include Dearborn Tool and Die, Michigan Truck and Wayne Stamping and Assembly. A drive at Dearborn Engine last month netted nearly 60 new volunteer donors for the registry.

The National Marrow Donor Program, which coordinates the registry, was founded in 1986. Since then, it has facilitated 13,000 transplants throughout the world, with an average of more than 140 transplants each month. The nonprofit organization is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., and can be reached at (800) MARROW-2.