Dear friends and supporters,
It is with great joy, and a deep sense of pride, that we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of ABMDR today!
Twenty years ago, our organization was started out of a desire to help save the life of a little girl struck by cancer. That child, Alique, had inspired us to launch a national registry of bone marrow donors, to bring the hope of survival not just to her family, but to thousands of other patients, in the United States and throughout the world.
On this day, as we look back on the past two decades, we know that the story of ABMDR is, first and foremost, a story of selfless dedication. In fact, as ABMDR was being shaped and we faced so many challenges along the way, the spirit of volunteerism was the one key advantage that would enable us to forge ahead.
It is thanks to that spirit, as well as the generous assistance of our supporters, that ABMDR has gone on to recruit over 29,000 donors in 29 countries across four continents, has become an internationally-recognized registry, and has established its own HLA-typing lab in Armenia, as the only EFI-accredited such lab in the entire region. Most importantly, it is thanks to an extraordinary level of grassroots support that ABMDR has facilitated 31 transplants to date, helping save the lives of as many patients.
On the occasion of our 20th anniversary, I would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to our legions of volunteers, our 29,000-strong registry of donors, and our loyal and devoted supporters, from Los Angeles and Boston to Yerevan, Tehran, and beyond, for turning our cherished vision of saving lives into a most wonderful reality. Together, we can move mountains!
Sincerely,
Dr. Frieda Jordan
President,
Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry