Special Prayer Day for ABMDR patients
observed at Western Diocese
Los Angeles, March 28, 2019 — On Sunday, March 24, during Holy Mass at St. Leon Cathedral in Burbank, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, offered prayers for patients of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR).
The Western Diocese has observed a Prayer Day in honor of ABMDR patients for the past several years, with the twin purpose of raising public awareness of ABMDR’s work and encouraging grassroots involvement in the organization’s activities.
In his sermon, Archbishop Derderian praised the life-saving mission of ABMDR and urged congregants to embrace its work by joining ABMDR as potential bone marrow stem cell donors, signing up as volunteers, and attending its public-benefit events.
Addressing ABMDR Board members who were in attendance, the Archbishop said, “Twenty years ago, you heeded the call to launch a humanitarian organization dedicated to the sacred quest of helping save lives. In the course of the past two decades, the grassroots organization you’ve started, the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, has established presence in 31 countries across four continents, registered 30,000 potential bone marrow stem cell donors, and saved the lives of 32 patient throughout the globe.”
“Today,” Archbishop Derderian added, “the Armenian Diocese, with all of its congregations, enthusiastically shares ABMDR’s God-pleasing cause and will continue to do so, by supporting the Registry’s community endeavors, including outreach and fundraising events.”
Following the church service, Archbishop Derderian met with the ABMDR team in his office at the adjacent Diocese. As team members presented an overview of ABMDR’s most recent accomplishments and future activities, Archbishop Derderian commended the Registry’s work and pledged his ongoing assistance.
“Archbishop Derderian’s words of encouragement and praise are of invaluable significance to us all,” Dr. Frieda Jordan, president of ABMDR, said afterwards. “And his support is all the more heartwarming this year, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of ABMDR. We convey our deep gratitude to Archbishop Derderian, as well as the tens of thousands of congregants throughout Diocesan communities.”
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 30,000 donors in 31 countries across four continents, identified over 9,000 patients, and facilitated 32 bone marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
