City of Los Angeles adopts Resolution commending ABMDR
Councilmember Paul Krekorian presents plaque during ceremony in Council Chambers
Los Angeles, August 18, 2014 – On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR), the Los Angeles City Council honored the organization by adopting a Resolution commending its life-saving mission.
Councilmember Paul Krekorian presented the Resolution to ABMDR President Dr. Frieda Jordan and other representatives of the registry during a ceremony held in Council Chambers on August 12, 2014.
The ceremony was attended by the Los Angeles City Council. The ABMDR team accepting the honor included, in addition to Dr. Jordan, ABMDR Executive Director Dr. Sevak Avagyan, Honorary Chair Dr. Bella Kocharian, Arpine Zohrabian, Alique Topalian, and Mr. and Mrs. Mourad and Arpi Topalian. Also present was Carmen Libaridian.
As he presented the Resolution plaque to Dr. Jordan, Councilmember Krekorian said, “The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry Charitable Trust has made tremendous strides for patients suffering from life-threatening illnesses. The registry’s work has saved the lives of thousands of Armenians around the world. I was proud to honor the organization on its 15th anniversary and thank the dedicated volunteers who bring hope and care to patients worldwide.”
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Jordan spoke briefly of the major achievements and goals of the registry. “The ABMDR ensures that a patient with a life-threatening blood disease – now or in the future – will have a much better chance of survival,” she said. “But the benefits don’t stop there. The ABMDR also presents the citizens of this great city with the opportunity to actually save a life by registering as potential donors, or lending their support as volunteers and contributors.”
She concluded by stating, “Today, as we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we salute the dedicated members of the Los Angeles City Council, and thank you all for your gracious recognition of our mission, which helps save lives in Los Angeles and beyond, in communities throughout the world.”
Also delivering remarks were Arpine Zohrabian, who has saved the life of a child by donating her bone marrow, and Alique Topalian, a childhood cancer survivor who 15 years ago inspired the establishment of ABMDR.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, which was televised live, several members of the City Council approached the ABMDR representatives to convey their congratulations and appreciation of the registry’s work.
“This has been a wonderful and deeply moving event,” Dr. Jordan commented afterwards. “I can’t say enough about Councilmember Paul Krekorian for his absolute dedication to the well-being of our community, and the Los Angeles City Council as a whole for its beautiful gesture in recognizing our work.”
About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999, ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps Armenians and non-Armenians worldwide survive life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting and matching donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants. To date, the registry has recruited over 26,000 donors in 20 countries across four continents, identified 2,481 patients, and facilitated 20 bone marrow transplants.
For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
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Councilmember Paul Krekorian presents the City Resolution plaque to Dr. Frieda Jordan. (Photo courtesy of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry).
From left: Mr. and Mrs. Mourad and Arpi Topalian, Alique Topalian, Dr. Bella Kocharian, Councilmember Paul Krekorian, Dr. Frieda Jordan, Dr. Sevak Avagyan, Carmen Libaridian, and Arpine Zohrabian. (Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles City Council).