Be the Match collects stem cells from donated bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, which are then distributed to patients with blood disorders or other diseases in need of a transplant. The organization is a non-profit organization, which relies on government funding to maintain its operations.
Unfortunately, the organization is facing a decline in the budget $ 3 million, which will reduce the number of patients receiving transplants medical therapy potential. On July 18, the beneficiaries and defenders of the fifteen stem cell transplant met with members of Congress in Washington, DC to protest against budget cuts proposed for the match.
20 years Kim Christensen and Jeff Haertling donor are two lawyers who discussed the potential funding cut with federal politicians. Kim was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was 16, and received a transplant of marrow stem cells Haertling at the time of his 18th birthday.
Four years later, Kim remains in remission, and wants to share her story to reverse the cuts proposed for Be The Match. Kim spoke with other recipients, the Be The Match of representatives of sides.
"I spend all day on the hill talking to people," said Chad Ramsey, director of legislative relations Be The Match. "I can tell them the facts and figures, but the real impact comes from people like the Christensens, who have a story to tell about the success of the program."
According to Mr. Ramsey, reducing budget of $ 3 million would reduce the number of people added to the correspondence register of stem cells by 20000 and 1000 fewer samples stored in the national cord blood inventory. Ramsey hopes the testimony of Kim and other recipients of stem cells will save the match funding cuts.