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PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
3111 Los Feliz Blvd., Suite 206
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Tel: (323) 663-3609
Fax: (323) 662-3648
Email: [email protected]
www.abmdr.am
For more information:
Zanku Armenian (818) 243-3557
Mercata Group
Five Hundred People Walk in First Annual "Walk of Life"
One Hundred People Sign-up With the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
(Los Angeles, CA - August 2, 2006) - Armenians and non-Armenians alike
rallied together on Saturday, July 29 in the First Annual 5k/10k Walk/Run
around the Pasadena Rose Bowl to help raise awareness in support of further
expanding the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry's (ABMDR) critical
life-saving mission to recruit more Armenian bone marrow donors. In
addition to raising needed funds and awareness through the Walk of Life, 100
new donors signed up.
"We are thrilled with the spirit of giving and life expressed through the
overwhelming participation in our first annual 'Walk of Life'," said Freida
Jordan, PhD, President of the ABMDR based in Los Angeles. "We are also
greatly appreciative of all our sponsors and the organizational and
individual support that made the first Walk a resounding success and will
enhance our ability to fulfill our life-saving mission." Corporate sponsors
included Glendale Memorial Hospital, St. Josephs Hospital, Closet World,
Next Day Color Printing, Glendale Water and Power, City of Los Angeles and
GNC.
A key method of treating leukemia patients or people with other
life-threatening blood diseases is through bone marrow/stem cell
transplants. In order to treat Armenian patients, bone marrow transplants
require compatible tissue types that match the genetic makeup of the patient
which is most likely to come from other Armenian donors. There are
currently 630 patients throughout the Diaspora and Armenia who are
desperately waiting to find a matching donor to help save their lives. On
average, it takes 200 donors to find a precise match for one patient. The
Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry has a goal of increasing their registry
from its current 11,000 donors to 126,000 to meet the critical need. The
ABMDR partners closely with Glendale Memorial Hospital and St. Josephs
Hospital in addition to being a member of global organizations such as the
World Marrow Donor Association and World Marrow Donor Worldwide
"By simply walking today, you are helping save a life" said Steve Artinian,
chairman of the Walk of Life organizing committee. "With this Walk we hope
you will spread the message that by taking the simple step of signing up
with the registry every Armenian can give the most precious gift of a second
chance to another fellow Armenian who is fighting for their life against
these destructive diseases." Special guests included His Eminence
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Very Rev. Father Dajad Yardemian,
representative of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North
America, Dr. Sevak Avagyan Executive Director of ABMDR in Armenia and
Varant Melkonian, CEO of Closet World and treasurer of the ABMDR. There
also was entertainment at the end of the Walk welcoming participants at the
finish line including the band Element and singer Mariette Soujian.
"The Walk of Life is a huge success today because of all the hard work and
dedication of our volunteers," said master of ceremonies and director of
operations for the Walk Taleen Khatchadourian at the post-Walk event. "If we
join together like this for our common mission we can make a big difference
in the lives of Armenian patients in need."
During the short program after the Walk, the family of Biurad Moghadasian,
who is an eight-year old Armenian patient currently at Los Angeles'
Children's Hospital being treated for leukemia, approached organizers to
stress the urgency of the ABMDR's mission using their son's plight as an
example. The family made a plea to all present to recruit additional bone
marrow donors which is the only way her son and others like him will have a
chance at beating the disease. Biurad is currently looking for a matching
donor to help save his life.
The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry encourages all Armenians to call
(323)663-3609 and join the registry with the hope of saving another life.
The registration process is very simple and non-intrusive and only takes a
few minutes. More information is available at www.abmdr.am. ABMDR is a
501(c)3 non-profit organization and welcomes donations of any size which are
tax-deductible.
Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
3111 Los Feliz Blvd., Suite 206
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Tel: (323) 663-3609
Fax: (323) 662-3648
Email: [email protected]
www.abmdr.am
For more information:
Zanku Armenian (818) 243-3557
Mercata Group
Five Hundred People Walk in First Annual "Walk of Life"
One Hundred People Sign-up With the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
(Los Angeles, CA - August 2, 2006) - Armenians and non-Armenians alike
rallied together on Saturday, July 29 in the First Annual 5k/10k Walk/Run
around the Pasadena Rose Bowl to help raise awareness in support of further
expanding the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry's (ABMDR) critical
life-saving mission to recruit more Armenian bone marrow donors. In
addition to raising needed funds and awareness through the Walk of Life, 100
new donors signed up.
"We are thrilled with the spirit of giving and life expressed through the
overwhelming participation in our first annual 'Walk of Life'," said Freida
Jordan, PhD, President of the ABMDR based in Los Angeles. "We are also
greatly appreciative of all our sponsors and the organizational and
individual support that made the first Walk a resounding success and will
enhance our ability to fulfill our life-saving mission." Corporate sponsors
included Glendale Memorial Hospital, St. Josephs Hospital, Closet World,
Next Day Color Printing, Glendale Water and Power, City of Los Angeles and
GNC.
A key method of treating leukemia patients or people with other
life-threatening blood diseases is through bone marrow/stem cell
transplants. In order to treat Armenian patients, bone marrow transplants
require compatible tissue types that match the genetic makeup of the patient
which is most likely to come from other Armenian donors. There are
currently 630 patients throughout the Diaspora and Armenia who are
desperately waiting to find a matching donor to help save their lives. On
average, it takes 200 donors to find a precise match for one patient. The
Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry has a goal of increasing their registry
from its current 11,000 donors to 126,000 to meet the critical need. The
ABMDR partners closely with Glendale Memorial Hospital and St. Josephs
Hospital in addition to being a member of global organizations such as the
World Marrow Donor Association and World Marrow Donor Worldwide
"By simply walking today, you are helping save a life" said Steve Artinian,
chairman of the Walk of Life organizing committee. "With this Walk we hope
you will spread the message that by taking the simple step of signing up
with the registry every Armenian can give the most precious gift of a second
chance to another fellow Armenian who is fighting for their life against
these destructive diseases." Special guests included His Eminence
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Very Rev. Father Dajad Yardemian,
representative of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North
America, Dr. Sevak Avagyan Executive Director of ABMDR in Armenia and
Varant Melkonian, CEO of Closet World and treasurer of the ABMDR. There
also was entertainment at the end of the Walk welcoming participants at the
finish line including the band Element and singer Mariette Soujian.
"The Walk of Life is a huge success today because of all the hard work and
dedication of our volunteers," said master of ceremonies and director of
operations for the Walk Taleen Khatchadourian at the post-Walk event. "If we
join together like this for our common mission we can make a big difference
in the lives of Armenian patients in need."
During the short program after the Walk, the family of Biurad Moghadasian,
who is an eight-year old Armenian patient currently at Los Angeles'
Children's Hospital being treated for leukemia, approached organizers to
stress the urgency of the ABMDR's mission using their son's plight as an
example. The family made a plea to all present to recruit additional bone
marrow donors which is the only way her son and others like him will have a
chance at beating the disease. Biurad is currently looking for a matching
donor to help save his life.
The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry encourages all Armenians to call
(323)663-3609 and join the registry with the hope of saving another life.
The registration process is very simple and non-intrusive and only takes a
few minutes. More information is available at www.abmdr.am. ABMDR is a
501(c)3 non-profit organization and welcomes donations of any size which are
tax-deductible.