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CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II JOINS ABMDR REGISTRY
asbarez
Monday, July 26th, 2010
Karekin II undergoes a simple medical test to join registry
LOS ANGELES-His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians,
became the latest potential stem cell donor to join the ranks of the
Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
The pontiff's membership in the registry was formalized on July 22,
following a simple, non-intrusive medical test that took place at in
Etchmiadzin. The brief standard test, which ABMDR volunteers administer
to all potential stem cell donors before they can join the registry,
confirmed that His Holiness is in excellent health and hence qualified
to donate bone marrow stem cells, should he be identified as a match
for a patient needing bone marrow transplantation.
Commenting on his decision to join the ABMDR, the Catholicos stated:
"This is an important day filled with blessings. I am pleased to note
that by becoming a potential donor one can help save someone's life.
To this end, I encourage the citizens of Armenia as well as Armenians
throughout the Diaspora to actively participate in the work of the
registry, with the understanding that it might be one of us who can
give the gift of life by donating a little blood."
"With this I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to
all those who are supporting the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry,
and once again encourage each and everyone to be of assistance by
registering as potential stem cell donors," added the Catholicos.
An ABMDR representative in Yerevan said that the Catholicos
volunteered to join the registry as a personal gesture of support
and more importantly, to help raise public awareness of the critical
need for Armenians worldwide to register with the ABMDR as potential
stem cell donors. The same source added that since ethnic Armenians
have a unique genetic makeup, often their only chance of surviving
a life-threatening blood-related illness is to receive a bone marrow
transplant from an Armenian donor.
Last month, for the first time in the history of Armenia and
the Caucasus region, the ABMDR performed a stem cell harvesting
procedure in Yerevan. Thanks to the procedure, during which stem
cells were harvested from a healthy donor, a bone marrow transplant
was performed in Belgium, saving the life of a patient who suffered
from a potentially terminal blood-related disease.
As 2010 marks the tenth anniversary of the ABMDR, a series of special
events has been planned for throughout the year. In addition to
recruiting bone marrow donors, these events will seek support for
the establishment of a stem cell transplantation center in Armenia
and the creation of support groups throughout the world.
Established in 1999, the 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 15,000
donors across three continents, identified 1,696 patients, found
1,419 potential matches, and facilitated ten bone marrow transplants.
For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
From: A. Papazian
asbarez
Monday, July 26th, 2010
Karekin II undergoes a simple medical test to join registry
LOS ANGELES-His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians,
became the latest potential stem cell donor to join the ranks of the
Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
The pontiff's membership in the registry was formalized on July 22,
following a simple, non-intrusive medical test that took place at in
Etchmiadzin. The brief standard test, which ABMDR volunteers administer
to all potential stem cell donors before they can join the registry,
confirmed that His Holiness is in excellent health and hence qualified
to donate bone marrow stem cells, should he be identified as a match
for a patient needing bone marrow transplantation.
Commenting on his decision to join the ABMDR, the Catholicos stated:
"This is an important day filled with blessings. I am pleased to note
that by becoming a potential donor one can help save someone's life.
To this end, I encourage the citizens of Armenia as well as Armenians
throughout the Diaspora to actively participate in the work of the
registry, with the understanding that it might be one of us who can
give the gift of life by donating a little blood."
"With this I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to
all those who are supporting the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry,
and once again encourage each and everyone to be of assistance by
registering as potential stem cell donors," added the Catholicos.
An ABMDR representative in Yerevan said that the Catholicos
volunteered to join the registry as a personal gesture of support
and more importantly, to help raise public awareness of the critical
need for Armenians worldwide to register with the ABMDR as potential
stem cell donors. The same source added that since ethnic Armenians
have a unique genetic makeup, often their only chance of surviving
a life-threatening blood-related illness is to receive a bone marrow
transplant from an Armenian donor.
Last month, for the first time in the history of Armenia and
the Caucasus region, the ABMDR performed a stem cell harvesting
procedure in Yerevan. Thanks to the procedure, during which stem
cells were harvested from a healthy donor, a bone marrow transplant
was performed in Belgium, saving the life of a patient who suffered
from a potentially terminal blood-related disease.
As 2010 marks the tenth anniversary of the ABMDR, a series of special
events has been planned for throughout the year. In addition to
recruiting bone marrow donors, these events will seek support for
the establishment of a stem cell transplantation center in Armenia
and the creation of support groups throughout the world.
Established in 1999, the 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 15,000
donors across three continents, identified 1,696 patients, found
1,419 potential matches, and facilitated ten bone marrow transplants.
For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
From: A. Papazian