College honored with National Marrow Donor Program’s Collegiate Award
The College of William & Mary received the National Marrow Donor Program’s (NMDP) Collegiate Award Saturday night, Nov. 5, at the organization’s 24th annual council meeting in Minneapolis. The NMDP is the global leader in providing marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants to patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other diseases. The nonprofit organization matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals, and conducts research so more lives can be saved.
William & Mary was the only college or university honored.
Pat Horan ’12 accepted the award on behalf of the College, which was feted for having raised more than $36,000 and recruiting 600 new potential bone marrow donors in 2011
"It was a great honor and privilege to represent the College and to accept this award,” said Horan. “For 20 years, William & Mary's faculty, staff and, especially, students have thrown themselves into this cause with great results. It is gratifying to be acknowledged for those efforts."
The Collegiate Award is presented each year to a college or university that exemplifies a high commitment in raising awareness, recruiting donors, and supporting the life-saving work of the NMDP. Thanks to students, faculty and staff at the College, thousands of patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases could have a second chance at life.
William & Mary students, faculty and staff have led an annual bone marrow donor registry drive on campus for the past 20 years, registering thousands of people as potential bone marrow donors. Several of those people have been matched to patients in need.
Organizers at the university annually reach out to classes and clubs on campus, and extend their message to the larger community. They raise the money needed to promote the campaign and to help support the costs of adding new members to the "Be The Match" Registry. More than 70 percent of patients depend on "Be The Match" Registry to find a match.
William & Mary previously won the same award in 2006. Over the past three years, student-led efforts have recruited more than 1,700 potential bone marrow donors.
”The young adults at William and Mary have a tradition of working hard in the classroom and in the community,” said Jeffrey W. Chell, M.D. chief executive officer of the NMDP. “Their continual support and creative awareness-building events are giving hope to those who desperately need a bone marrow transplant.
For more information, visit marrow.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.
