During donor recruitment at Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute,
Large number of enthusiastic soldiers and officers join the ranks of ABMDR
Los Angeles, September 14, 2018 — In what has become a cherished tradition for the past several years, the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) held a donor-recruitment drive at Yerevan’s Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute on September 14.
The event started at the institute’s auditorium, where Dr. Mihran Nazaretyan, Medical Director of ABMDR, made a presentation on the work and life-saving mission of the Registry in front of a gathering of soldiers and officers.
“Joining ABMDR couldn’t be easier or simpler,” Dr. Nazaretyan said in his remarks, “yet its rewards are incalculable, as one day you might have the opportunity to save someone’s life. Nothing compares to the joy of being notified that you’ve been identified as a matched donor, and that, thanks to the bone marrow stem cells you’re willing to donate, a patient suffering from a blood-related, life-threatening illness will have a second chance at life. I think, as men and women in uniform serving our country, you have a deep and unique appreciation of such a prospect.”
Following Dr. Nazaretyan’s presentation, a large number of soldiers and officers joined the ranks of ABMDR as potential bone marrow stem cell donors, as a team from ABMDR’s Yerevan Lab was on hand to register the applicants.
“As a pan-national humanitarian organization, ABMDR has always had a special relationship with the armed forces and first responders of the Republic of Armenia, and the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute in particular,” said Dr. Frieda Jordan, President of ABMDR. “I would like to convey our heartfelt gratitude to the leadership of the institute for its ongoing collaboration with our Registry — for helping us raise public awareness of our work, engage in community outreach, and recruit potential donors. Finally, a big thank-you to all the selfless, enthusiastic soldiers and officers who just joined ABMDR as our newest angels!”
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 29,000 donors in 29 countries across four continents, identified 4,482 patients, and facilitated 31 bone marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
