ABMDR kicks off 15th anniversary in Boston
Local Armenian community celebrates milestones, prepares for September Walkathon
Los Angeles, March 26, 2014 – Dr. Frieda Jordan, president of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR), visited Boston during March 14-17 to help kick off the 15th anniversary of the registry. The occasion was marked by a number of meetings with supporters and community leaders, a radio interview with Dr. Jordan, and a celebration dinner.
On March 14, Dr. Jordan met with Dr. Carolann Najarian, an ABMDR Board member and mentor who has brought her moral and financial support to the mission of the organization ever since its launch in 1999.
One of the highlights of Dr. Jordan’s visit was an interview she gave on Armenian Independent Broadcasting of Boston. The highly informative and emotional interview was conducted by Yevgine Gharibian, director and producer of the weekly Armenian and English radio hour. Armenian Independent Broadcasting was founded in 1980 by Gharibian’s late husband, Jerair. In 1991, Jerair Gharibian died of leukemia after efforts to find a match for a bone marrow donor transplant were met with failure. Following his untimely death, Yevgine Gharibian took over his duties to go on producing and hosting the show, reaching some 50,000 listeners in the Greater Boston area.
On the evening of March 15, ABMDR’s crystal anniversary was celebrated with a dinner hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Kegham and Rubina Varjabedian at their residence. The jubilant event was attended by the ABMDR Boston Support Group and the New England Walkathon Committee, including ABMDR Board member and longtime supporter Alvart Badalian, and numerous volunteers and supporters from various age groups.
In a presentation she gave during the evening, Dr. Jordan highlighted the most recent achievements of the registry. Furthermore, she announced plans to significantly expand its ranks through fundraising and recruitments, and to serve a larger number of patients in Armenia and worldwide. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session.
Also discussed during the event were the ongoing efforts of the ABMDR Boston Support Group to increase marketing and outreach initiatives and recruit more potential donors. On its part, the Walkathon Committee announced that the next annual Walk of Life New England will be held in September 2014.
The celebration dinner drew to a close as attendees blew out the candles on the ABMDR crystal-anniversary cake.
“What a fantastic journey it’s been,” Dr. Jordan said about her Boston visit. “The support of the New England Armenian community has been a critical component of our success on the East Coast. I was overjoyed to spend time with longtime supporters and meet many young volunteers, and so very touched by their wonderful enthusiasm for helping advance the ABMDR mission.”
About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999, ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps 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 25,000 donors in 18 countries across four continents, identified 2,135 patients, and facilitated 18 bone marrow transplants.
For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
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[PHOTO CAPTIONS]
From left: Dr. Frieda Jordan with Berj Chekijian, acting director of the Armenian Museum of America, and longtime ABMDR supporter Dr. Carolann Najarian.
The ABMDR Boston Support Group
Dr. Jordan with event hosts Mr. and Mrs. Kegham and Rubina Varjabedian.
Dr. Jordan and young volunteers around the ABMDR crystal-anniversary cake.