2001 Admiral Zumwalt Corporate Award

NMDP Recognizes General Motors

A few years ago, the United Automobile Workers (UAW) and General Motors (GM) combined forces with the National Marrow Donor Program^® (NMDP) and its partner, The Marrow Foundation, to launch LifeMatch, a program aimed at educating GM employees about the need for unrelated marrow and blood stem cell donors, especially in minority communities.

With the support of UAW and GM, more than 1,900 employees came forward to join the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry. In recognition of its commitment towards saving lives, the NMDP and its partner, The Marrow Foundation, are honoring UAW and GM with the 2001 Admiral Zumwalt Corporate Award. The award is presented to a corporation that has demonstrated consistent, committed support of the NMDP through sponsoring donor tissue typing education projects that have led to an increased awareness of the mission of the NMDP.

Today, UAW and GM continue their support by providing funds through The Marrow Foundation to make it possible for GM employees to become lifesaving marrow and blood stem cell donors for free. "Since the launch of LifeMatch, several GM employees have donated blood stem cells to give patients with life-threatening illnesses a second chance at life. The support and commitment of UAW and GM represents partnering at its best. We are proud to be associated with such outstanding organizations as we pursue our mission of saving lives through marrow and blood stem cell transplantation." said Dr. Jeffrey W. Chell, NMDP chief executive officer.

In 1991, Admiral E.R. Zumwalt Jr. created The Marrow Foundation to secure resources for the work of the National Marrow Donor Program. The Foundation and the NMDP share the following goals:

• To increase the diversity of the NMDP's Registry of unrelated marrow donors
• To assist patients with financial need as they search the Registry for a marrow match
• To sponsor research to improve the understanding and outcome of unrelated marrow and blood stem cell transplantation worldwide

The NMDP is committed to its mission to extend and improve life through innovative stem cell therapies. As of May 31, 2002, the NMDP has facilitated more than 14,000 transplants throughout the world for patients with life-threatening diseases such as leukemia and aplastic anemia, as well as certain immune system and genetic disorders. The NMDP is the only organization that offers searching patients who do not have suitable family donors a single point of access for all three types of stem cells used in transplantation: marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood. Through its extensive U.S. and international Network, the NMDP manages the largest and most diverse Registry of volunteer donors, including more than 20,000 cord blood units. Matching donors to patients is only part of the NMDP's life-saving mission. The NMDP also provides support for patients and physicians and conducts research studies aimed at increasing opportunities for and improving the outcomes of stem cell transplants.

For more information about the NMDP, how to become a donor or marrow and blood stem cell transplantation, call (800) MARROW-2.