Dr. Jeffrey W. Chell, chief executive officer of the National Marrow Donor Program^® (NMDP), has been named a 2009 "Champion in Health Care" by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal for leading his organization through a major expansion in its mission to provide bone marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants to patients in America and around the world, giving them a second chance at life.

Dr. Chell won the inaugural award in the Health Care Executive category, one of eight "Champion" distinctions. According to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, the honorees are individuals and organizations that have "gone above and beyond the already high standards" in the Twin Cities’ health care community.

Nine years of leadership at NMDP

That description defines Dr. Chell’s nine years of leadership at the NMDP, said Dr. Edward L. Snyder, who chairs the NMDP board, teaches medicine at Yale University and directs the Blood Bank at the Yale-New Haven Hospital.

"Dr. Chell has been a transformative force, guiding the NMDP’s tremendous growth, impact and influence, both nationally and internationally," Snyder said.

Growth of the marrow registry

Under Dr. Chell’s leadership, the number of adults registered as potential bone marrow donors has doubled to more than 7 million, and the number of transplants facilitated each year by the NMDP has tripled to nearly 5,000. Most of these patients are battling leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases, and their best chance for survival lies in transplantation. But finding a biological match can be challenging. Dr. Chell has been instrumental in developing international partnerships to broaden the pool of potential donors available through its Be The Match Registry^SM.

Investment in umilibical cord blood transplantation

The NMDP also has invested in the emerging use of umbilical cord blood and today is the global leader in facilitating transplants using umbilical cord blood.

Leadership in transplant research

In addition, Dr. Chell recognized the need for the NMDP to invest in research to improve transplant outcomes. So in 2004, the NMDP merged its research operations with the Medical College of Wisconsin’s International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry to form the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). Dr. Chell serves as the organization’s executive director, and in just five years, the CIBMTR has established itself as a premier international research institute.

Part of the Twin Cities' health care community

"I’m honored by this recognition within the health care community. I also want to give credit to my many colleagues and the caring people here and around the world who’ve contributed so much to our mission," said Dr. Chell, a Minnesota native. "The Twin Cities’ health care community is one of the finest in the world, and I am extremely proud to be part of it."
 

About the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) is a not-for-profit organization entrusted to operate the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program created by Congress in 2005. As a leader in the field of marrow and cord blood transplantation, the NMDP manages the Be The Match Registry, facilitates transplants worldwide, conducts research to help transplant recipients live longer, healthier lives, and provides education to patients and health care professionals. The NMDP is dedicated to creating an opportunity for all patients to receive the transplant therapy they need. Since operations began in 1987, the NMDP has provided more than 35,000 transplants to help give patients a second chance at life.