Making A Difference

NMDP Honors Community Heroes

Heroes come in many forms. Last month, the National Marrow Donor Program^® (NMDP) honored community heroes from across the country recognizing their unique and selfless efforts that have helped save lives.

At its annual Council Meeting in October, the NMDP honored four individuals and three organizations whose contributions have consistently supported the NMDP's mission of extending and improving lives through innovative stem cell therapies. This year's award winners are:

• Allison Atlas Award - Michael's Fund, Fall River, Mass.
• C.W. Bill Young Congressional Award - Gov. Gary Locke, Olympia, Wash.
• Excellence in Local Media Award - Mary Baer, WJXT, Channel 4, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Excellence in National Media Award - Family Circle Magazine, New York City, N.Y.
• Jeffrey Mark Harris Award - Anissa Ayala, American Red Cross Southern Region, Los Angeles, Calif.
• Medical Professional Award - Gretchen Eames, M.D., M.P.H., Cooks Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas.
• Admiral Zumwalt Corporate Award - MetLife, New York City, N.Y.

"These people have demonstrated outstanding personal integrity and social responsibility," said Jeffrey Chell, M.D., NMDP chief executive officer. "They have channeled their efforts and influence to benefit patients who need a lifesaving transplant. The support of these wonderful people -- who gave generously of their time, energy and resources -- has allowed the NMDP to facilitate almost 15,000 transplants throughout the world for patients with life-threatening diseases. They are truly heroes," Dr. Chell said.

The awards were part of the NMDP's annual Council Meeting. Approximately 850 people from the NMDP's Network Centers in the United States and abroad who play roles in matching volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors with unrelated transplant recipients came together at this annual meeting to participate in workshops and seminars focusing on transplantation issues such umbilical cord blood banking and the use of stem cell transplantation for treating autoimmune diseases and solid tumors.

The NMDP is committed to its mission to extend and improve life through innovative stem cell therapies. As of September 30, 2002, the NMDP has facilitated almost 15,000 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, call (800) MARROW-2