Tweet
ABMDR highlights mission with annual gala, Mt. Ararat climb
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-09-22-abmdr-highlights-mission-with-annual-gala-mt--ararat-climb
Published: Sunday September 22, 2013
ABMDR climbers on the holy mountain summit.
LOS ANGELES - Hope of Life, the 14th annual Gala of the Armenian Bone
Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR), took place on the night of July 14 at
the Glendale Hilton, in Glendale, California. Over 400 attended Hope
of Life, which kicked off with a cocktail hour and silent auction in
the foyer and terrace of the hall.
The highly anticipated community event celebrated major milestones
that were reached throughout the past year, and honored many
individuals and establishments for their outstanding support of the
registry's cause.
The evening's main program began with the opening remarks of Tatevik
Ekezian Madjarian, who acknowledged the presence of numerous
dignitaries, elected officials, and healthcare leaders. They included
Arch. Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese; Joseph Matossian,
Minister of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America; Father
Vazken Atmajian, representing Arch. Moushegh Mardirossian of the
Western Prelacy; California State Senator Carol Liu; representatives
of Congressman Adam Schiff, State Assemblyman Mike Gatto, and Los
Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich; Glendale City Councilman
Zareh Sinanyan; Glendale Unified School District president Greg
Krikorian; Glendale Memorial Hospital president Jack Ivie and
vice-president of Business Development David Mauss; Glendale Memorial
Health Foundation vice-president Wayne Herron; Dr. Stuart Siegel and
Dr. Neena Kapoor of Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Dr. Evgeni
Sokurenko, Professor at the Department of Microbiology, University of
Washington, and Dr. Arpenik Avagyan; and, representing the event's
major sponsors, Ramella Markarian and Peter Baker of Glendale
Adventist Medical Center, and Mike Sarian of Prime Healthcare
Services.
Tatevik Ekezian Madjarian also welcomed representatives of several
community organizations, including the Armenian-American Medical
Society, Armenian Nurses Association, Armenian Relief Society,
Armenian Cycling Association, and Armenian-American Chamber of
Commerce, as well as Chamlian School principal Vazken Madenlian.
Next to take the podium was Gala chairperson Naz Atikian, who thanked
the attendees for their "unflinching support, year after year." "We
are here today because of you," Atikian said.
As he took the stage following Atikian's address, Master of Ceremonies
and ABMDR Board of Directors chair Mark Geragos, Esquire, cast a
glance at the history of the registry. "It's truly amazing that this
organization started off with only a handful of donors 14 years ago,"
he said. "Today it has over 24,000 potential bone marrow donors in 18
countries. Growth of this scale has been made possible by not only
relentless hard work, but also the extraordinary vision of the woman
I'm about to introduce, Dr. Frieda Jordan, who is the heart and soul
of ABMDR."
After being greeted with a standing ovation, Dr. Jordan began her
address by reflecting on the evening's theme. "Hope of Life: yes,
there is no better way to describe the work we do," she said.
"Each of you who has volunteered time and expertise at a recruitment
drive, or helped organize fundraising events, well knows that striving
to save lives, with precious time ticking away, is hard and stressful
work," Dr. Jordan continued. "But we do what is hard for one reason:
to make it easier on our patients and their families, who bear such
physical and emotional pain. I reflect on this moment with gratitude,
and thank you all for making what we do a little easier."
Next Dr. Jordan recognized the 2013 ABMDR Award recipients and the
evening's major sponsors, Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Prime
Healthcare Services. She also conveyed her gratitude to the registry's
Lifetime Supporters; the Western Diocese for ongoing outreach support;
His Holiness Karekin II for conferreing on her the St. Nerses the
Graceful Medal; and the registry's numerous volunteers, benefactors,
committee chairs, and the staff of the ABMDR Stem Cell Harvesting
Center in Yerevan for advancing the organization's cause.
Before concluding her remarks, Dr. Jordan announced that in September
2012 the registry held its first-ever Walkathon on the East Coast, in
Boston, and thanked the Kardashian family for helping raise public
awareness of the ABMDR mission, as well as the Armenian Cyclist
Association for dedicating its most recent annual bike ride to raising
funds for the registry.
Afterwards Dr. Jordan invited to the podium Dr. Sevak Avagyan,
executive director of ABMDR and head of its Stem Cell Harvesting
Center.
"When people ask about the evolution of ABMDR, we often respond with
numbers," Dr. Avagyan said. "To date, we tell them, the registry has
recruited over 24,000 donors in 18 countries across four continents,
identified 2,135 patients, and facilitated 16 bone marrow transplants.
But our fight to find life-saving donor-patient matches is not merely
about numbers. As importantly, we continue to increase the quality of
the services we provide for patients. Thus, for instance, we have made
significant enhancements to our Stem Cell Harvesting Center; we have
purchased equipment and provided training for Armenia's - and the
Caucasus region's - first auto-transplantation procedure; we have
adopted a new test with allows us to gauge a patient's sensitivity to
chemotherapy drugs; and we have begun to implement immunophenotyping,
which is a major step forward for Armenia in blood-disease
diagnostics, prediction, and treatment."
Subsequently Dr. Jordan invited this year's honorees to the stage. The
Woman of the Year and Man of the Year Award were bestowed on Amy
Boyadjian and Dr. Evgeni Sokurenko, respectively; the Volunteer of the
Year Awards were bestowed on Hilda Gourdikian and Harmik Baghdasarian;
the Armenian-American Medical Society (AAMS) of California and its
Ladies' Auxiliary Committee received the Organization of the Year
Award, with AAMS president Dr. Vicken Sepilian and Ladies' Auxiliary
Committee chair Ramella Markarian accepting the award; the ABMDR
Comedy Night Committee was named Team of the Year; and Children's
Hospital Los Angeles received the Establishment of the Year Award,
which was accepted by Dr. Stuart Siegel and Dr. Neena Kapoor.
In 2012, Drs. Siegel and Kapoor were instrumental in providing vital
physician trainings to help ABMDR create the necessary infrastructure
and skill base for starting to perform autotransplantation procedures
in Armenia.
In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Siegel said, "I have never seen an
organization, such as ABMDR, come together so rapidly, identify a
mission so clearly, and make it happen. You all deserve a tremendous
amount of applause for doing something that I don't think I've seen
any organization pull off so impressively."
In addition to the main awards, special plaques were bestowed on
Glendale Adventist Medical Center, accepted by vice-president of
Business Development Peter Baker; Mike Sarian of Prime Healthcare
Services; Arpine Zohrabyan, who has helped save a child's life by
becoming a matched bone marrow stem cell donor; and Andrew Nazarian, a
high-school senior who had a key role in the realization of the
Armenian Cycling Association's bike ride benefiting ABMDR - the
136-mile Glendale-to-San Diego ride, called "Cycle for Life," raised
close to $10,000.
During the award ceremony, Tatevik Ekezian Madjarian read a letter of
congratulation by patient Cici, and accepted a plaque of recognition
on her behalf.
Throughout the evening, the audience was treated to spirited
performances by violinist Allen and singer Arthur (known as Mr. X).
The Gala drew to a close with the announcement of this year's ABMDR
lottery winners.
ABMDR team climbs Mt. Ararat
August 1, 2013 became an unforgettable day for the Armenian Bone
Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) as a team of mountain climbers,
including ABMDR donors, took the organization's flag to the summit of
Mount Ararat, in a gesture of pan-national support for the registry's
life-saving mission.
The 11-member Ararat Dream Team scaled Mount Ararat as part of a
journey through Georgia and Western Armenia. Headed by Harut
Der-Tavitian, the team included three ABMDR donors: Hratch Lukassain,
Ashot Manukian, and Hayk Manukian.
On its way to Mount Ararat, the Ararat Dream Team passed through
Javakhk, Georgia, and visited Tmbka Fortress, where it attended the
Vahan Teryan Day celebration, hosted by the Vahan Teryan Museum. The
team also visited the ruins of Ani.
Following the arduous climb up Mount Ararat, team members held the
ABMDR flag high as the jubilant moment was captured on film.
The Ararat Dream Team also traveled to Lake Van and held a celebration
on Akhtamar Island.
Subsequently the ABMDR flag, which was signed by the team members, was
brought by the ABDMR donors to the registry's Stem Cell Harvesting
Center in Yerevan, where the lab staff congratulated the donors for
having completed their remarkable journey.
"We were so very moved by the enthusiasm of the Ararat Dream Team and
especially the participating ABMDR donors, who had the ABMDR flag,
which we consider a wonderful symbol of pan-Armenian altruism and
collaboration, wave on the summit of Mount Ararat," said Dr. Sevak
Avagyan, executive director of ABMDR.
About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999,
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 24,000 donors in 18 countries across
four continents, identified 2,135 patients, and facilitated 16 bone
marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit
abmdr.am.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-09-22-abmdr-highlights-mission-with-annual-gala-mt--ararat-climb
Published: Sunday September 22, 2013
ABMDR climbers on the holy mountain summit.
LOS ANGELES - Hope of Life, the 14th annual Gala of the Armenian Bone
Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR), took place on the night of July 14 at
the Glendale Hilton, in Glendale, California. Over 400 attended Hope
of Life, which kicked off with a cocktail hour and silent auction in
the foyer and terrace of the hall.
The highly anticipated community event celebrated major milestones
that were reached throughout the past year, and honored many
individuals and establishments for their outstanding support of the
registry's cause.
The evening's main program began with the opening remarks of Tatevik
Ekezian Madjarian, who acknowledged the presence of numerous
dignitaries, elected officials, and healthcare leaders. They included
Arch. Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese; Joseph Matossian,
Minister of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America; Father
Vazken Atmajian, representing Arch. Moushegh Mardirossian of the
Western Prelacy; California State Senator Carol Liu; representatives
of Congressman Adam Schiff, State Assemblyman Mike Gatto, and Los
Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich; Glendale City Councilman
Zareh Sinanyan; Glendale Unified School District president Greg
Krikorian; Glendale Memorial Hospital president Jack Ivie and
vice-president of Business Development David Mauss; Glendale Memorial
Health Foundation vice-president Wayne Herron; Dr. Stuart Siegel and
Dr. Neena Kapoor of Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Dr. Evgeni
Sokurenko, Professor at the Department of Microbiology, University of
Washington, and Dr. Arpenik Avagyan; and, representing the event's
major sponsors, Ramella Markarian and Peter Baker of Glendale
Adventist Medical Center, and Mike Sarian of Prime Healthcare
Services.
Tatevik Ekezian Madjarian also welcomed representatives of several
community organizations, including the Armenian-American Medical
Society, Armenian Nurses Association, Armenian Relief Society,
Armenian Cycling Association, and Armenian-American Chamber of
Commerce, as well as Chamlian School principal Vazken Madenlian.
Next to take the podium was Gala chairperson Naz Atikian, who thanked
the attendees for their "unflinching support, year after year." "We
are here today because of you," Atikian said.
As he took the stage following Atikian's address, Master of Ceremonies
and ABMDR Board of Directors chair Mark Geragos, Esquire, cast a
glance at the history of the registry. "It's truly amazing that this
organization started off with only a handful of donors 14 years ago,"
he said. "Today it has over 24,000 potential bone marrow donors in 18
countries. Growth of this scale has been made possible by not only
relentless hard work, but also the extraordinary vision of the woman
I'm about to introduce, Dr. Frieda Jordan, who is the heart and soul
of ABMDR."
After being greeted with a standing ovation, Dr. Jordan began her
address by reflecting on the evening's theme. "Hope of Life: yes,
there is no better way to describe the work we do," she said.
"Each of you who has volunteered time and expertise at a recruitment
drive, or helped organize fundraising events, well knows that striving
to save lives, with precious time ticking away, is hard and stressful
work," Dr. Jordan continued. "But we do what is hard for one reason:
to make it easier on our patients and their families, who bear such
physical and emotional pain. I reflect on this moment with gratitude,
and thank you all for making what we do a little easier."
Next Dr. Jordan recognized the 2013 ABMDR Award recipients and the
evening's major sponsors, Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Prime
Healthcare Services. She also conveyed her gratitude to the registry's
Lifetime Supporters; the Western Diocese for ongoing outreach support;
His Holiness Karekin II for conferreing on her the St. Nerses the
Graceful Medal; and the registry's numerous volunteers, benefactors,
committee chairs, and the staff of the ABMDR Stem Cell Harvesting
Center in Yerevan for advancing the organization's cause.
Before concluding her remarks, Dr. Jordan announced that in September
2012 the registry held its first-ever Walkathon on the East Coast, in
Boston, and thanked the Kardashian family for helping raise public
awareness of the ABMDR mission, as well as the Armenian Cyclist
Association for dedicating its most recent annual bike ride to raising
funds for the registry.
Afterwards Dr. Jordan invited to the podium Dr. Sevak Avagyan,
executive director of ABMDR and head of its Stem Cell Harvesting
Center.
"When people ask about the evolution of ABMDR, we often respond with
numbers," Dr. Avagyan said. "To date, we tell them, the registry has
recruited over 24,000 donors in 18 countries across four continents,
identified 2,135 patients, and facilitated 16 bone marrow transplants.
But our fight to find life-saving donor-patient matches is not merely
about numbers. As importantly, we continue to increase the quality of
the services we provide for patients. Thus, for instance, we have made
significant enhancements to our Stem Cell Harvesting Center; we have
purchased equipment and provided training for Armenia's - and the
Caucasus region's - first auto-transplantation procedure; we have
adopted a new test with allows us to gauge a patient's sensitivity to
chemotherapy drugs; and we have begun to implement immunophenotyping,
which is a major step forward for Armenia in blood-disease
diagnostics, prediction, and treatment."
Subsequently Dr. Jordan invited this year's honorees to the stage. The
Woman of the Year and Man of the Year Award were bestowed on Amy
Boyadjian and Dr. Evgeni Sokurenko, respectively; the Volunteer of the
Year Awards were bestowed on Hilda Gourdikian and Harmik Baghdasarian;
the Armenian-American Medical Society (AAMS) of California and its
Ladies' Auxiliary Committee received the Organization of the Year
Award, with AAMS president Dr. Vicken Sepilian and Ladies' Auxiliary
Committee chair Ramella Markarian accepting the award; the ABMDR
Comedy Night Committee was named Team of the Year; and Children's
Hospital Los Angeles received the Establishment of the Year Award,
which was accepted by Dr. Stuart Siegel and Dr. Neena Kapoor.
In 2012, Drs. Siegel and Kapoor were instrumental in providing vital
physician trainings to help ABMDR create the necessary infrastructure
and skill base for starting to perform autotransplantation procedures
in Armenia.
In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Siegel said, "I have never seen an
organization, such as ABMDR, come together so rapidly, identify a
mission so clearly, and make it happen. You all deserve a tremendous
amount of applause for doing something that I don't think I've seen
any organization pull off so impressively."
In addition to the main awards, special plaques were bestowed on
Glendale Adventist Medical Center, accepted by vice-president of
Business Development Peter Baker; Mike Sarian of Prime Healthcare
Services; Arpine Zohrabyan, who has helped save a child's life by
becoming a matched bone marrow stem cell donor; and Andrew Nazarian, a
high-school senior who had a key role in the realization of the
Armenian Cycling Association's bike ride benefiting ABMDR - the
136-mile Glendale-to-San Diego ride, called "Cycle for Life," raised
close to $10,000.
During the award ceremony, Tatevik Ekezian Madjarian read a letter of
congratulation by patient Cici, and accepted a plaque of recognition
on her behalf.
Throughout the evening, the audience was treated to spirited
performances by violinist Allen and singer Arthur (known as Mr. X).
The Gala drew to a close with the announcement of this year's ABMDR
lottery winners.
ABMDR team climbs Mt. Ararat
August 1, 2013 became an unforgettable day for the Armenian Bone
Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) as a team of mountain climbers,
including ABMDR donors, took the organization's flag to the summit of
Mount Ararat, in a gesture of pan-national support for the registry's
life-saving mission.
The 11-member Ararat Dream Team scaled Mount Ararat as part of a
journey through Georgia and Western Armenia. Headed by Harut
Der-Tavitian, the team included three ABMDR donors: Hratch Lukassain,
Ashot Manukian, and Hayk Manukian.
On its way to Mount Ararat, the Ararat Dream Team passed through
Javakhk, Georgia, and visited Tmbka Fortress, where it attended the
Vahan Teryan Day celebration, hosted by the Vahan Teryan Museum. The
team also visited the ruins of Ani.
Following the arduous climb up Mount Ararat, team members held the
ABMDR flag high as the jubilant moment was captured on film.
The Ararat Dream Team also traveled to Lake Van and held a celebration
on Akhtamar Island.
Subsequently the ABMDR flag, which was signed by the team members, was
brought by the ABDMR donors to the registry's Stem Cell Harvesting
Center in Yerevan, where the lab staff congratulated the donors for
having completed their remarkable journey.
"We were so very moved by the enthusiasm of the Ararat Dream Team and
especially the participating ABMDR donors, who had the ABMDR flag,
which we consider a wonderful symbol of pan-Armenian altruism and
collaboration, wave on the summit of Mount Ararat," said Dr. Sevak
Avagyan, executive director of ABMDR.
About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999,
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 24,000 donors in 18 countries across
four continents, identified 2,135 patients, and facilitated 16 bone
marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit
abmdr.am.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress