Media Advisory / Photo Opportunity

Be The Match Foundation^SM (formerly The Marrow Foundation^®), will pay tribute to the United States Postal Service (USPS) at its second annual gala fundraiser on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

The USPS began encouraging its employees through its Delivering the Gift of Life Campaign to join the Be The Match Registry^SM, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program^®, in 1997, after Rod Carew made a public plea to encourage minorities to join because his daughter was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a transplant to survive. Patients are most likely to match a donor who shares their own racial or ethnic background.

As the most diverse employer in the United States, the USPS has added more than 47,000 potential donors to the Be The Match Registry, 80 of whom have donated to patients.  

More than 600 local and national corporate and civic leaders are expected. Those interested in attending can call 612-884-8684. Individual tickets are $200.

Photo/Interview Opportunities

• John E. Potter, Postmaster General and CEO of USPS, will speak at the event.
• Rod Carew, Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer, will share his family’s personal experience and the importance of marrow and cord blood donation.
• Christine Fleming, Be The Match Foundation president, will attend and is available for interviews prior to the event.
• Marrow donor and event co-chair Andrew Mullin of Wayzata donated to a 27-year-old with leukemia in 2007.
• Cord blood transplant recipient and event co-chair Michelle Vance of New Brighton received her transplant in November 2006.

When

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
5:30 to 7 p.m. Cocktails and Silent Auction
7 to 8 p.m. Dinner
8 to 9:30 p.m. Program and Live Auction 

Where

Minneapolis Convention Center
Ballroom A
1301 2nd Ave S
Minneapolis, Minn. 55403

Why

Be The Match Foundation encourages individuals, families, corporations and other partners to contribute funds that help make life-saving marrow transplants a reality for thousands of patients with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases. These patients depend on the Be The Match Registry to find a match – and the foundation to help them with transplant-related costs. While many patients do find the life-saving match they need each year, giving them a second chance at life, more donors are needed to help increase the likelihood that all patients will find a match.

About Be The Match Foundation

Be The Match Foundation raises funds to help patients who need an unrelated marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant find a donor and receive the treatment they need. It supports the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) which operates Be The Match Registry, the largest and most diverse registry of potential marrow donors and cord blood units in the world.

Be The Match Foundation works with individuals, corporations, other foundations and community groups to raise funds that support three crucial areas:

• Growing the Be The Match Registry to increase the chances that more patients find their match
• Providing financial grants to patients who need help with treatment costs
• Funding transplant research to help more patients live longer, healthier lives

For more information, see Be The Match Foundation or call 1 (800) 507-5427.