Sigma Alpha Mu chapters across North America will host donor registration drives on campuses, incorporating educational events to empower students with knowledge about the life-saving impact of joining the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. These efforts will target young, diverse populations, which are underrepresented in the current registry but are vital to increasing the chances of finding matches for patients in need.
Prior to formalizing their partnership, Gift of Life and Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity members, through recruitment events at select schools, registered 766 donors, identified 37 matches and facilitated four transplants.
Sigma Alpha Mu has a strong tradition of community service and a deep commitment to helping others, said Christopher Camacho, Director of Recruitment at Gift of Life Marrow Registry. We are thrilled to partner with them in this important mission. Their enthusiasm and dedication to making a difference will undoubtedly help us reach more potential donors and give hope to patients searching for a life-saving match.
This partnership, along with Gift of Lifes nationwide recruitment efforts targeting college Greek Life and other student organizations, allows the registry to prioritize donors aged 18-29. This age group is preferred by transplant centers due to their overall better health and higher-quality stem cells, which greatly enhance transplant success rates.
Teaming up with Gift of Life unlocks new opportunities for Sigma Alpha Mu to transform lives by facilitating donor drives to help patients fighting leukemia, said Andy Huston, Executive Director of Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity. The ability for our members to see the direct impact stemming from donor drives is incredibly powerful.
Additionally, any healthy individual in the 18-35 age range may join the registry by simply requesting a cheek swab registration kit online by visiting giftoflife.org/SAM.
About Gift of Life Marrow Registry
Gift of Life Marrow Registry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. The organization, established in 1991, is dedicated to saving lives by facilitating blood stem cell and bone marrow transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood-related diseases. The registry houses its own state-of-the-art stem cell collection center, biobank, and laboratory. To learn more about Gift of Life Marrow Registry, visit www.giftoflife.org.
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