MINNEAPOLIS, May 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NMDP^SM (formerly Be The Match®) hosted its annual gala in New York on Thursday, May 2, raising critical funds that support patient financial assistance and innovative cell therapy research to improve post-transplant outcomes and expand access to treatment so every patient can receive their life-saving cell therapy. In 2023, NMDP provided $5.5 million in grants to 2,600 patients and their families in need of financial assistance.

The event, held at Cipriani 25 Broadway, celebrated NMDP’s mission and the impact on 7,435 lives through cell therapy in 2023 for patients battling blood cancers and blood disorders—the most ever facilitated by the organization in a single year. The event’s presenting sponsor, Publicis Groupe and Publicis Media, continued their long-standing support of NMDP.

One of the evening’s biggest highlights was when stem cell transplant recipient Lisa Mottesi, 58, of New Jersey met her life-saving donor, Pennsylvania resident Eric Burger, 50, for the very first time after 16 years. In 2008, the wife and mom of three young children became sick and visited a doctor thinking she had bronchitis only to discover she had an aggressive form of leukemia that doctors said would require a marrow or blood stem cell transplant. Her doctors searched the NMDP Registry and found a single match out of tens of millions of potential donors. Lisa said of meeting her donor, Eric “I would not have seen my children grow up had it not been for him. I am deeply grateful, and words cannot begin to describe the magnitude of his act to save the life of someone he didn’t even know.”

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“All of us at NMDP are honored to witness meetings like Lisa and Eric’s” said Joy King, Chief Advancement Officer, NMDP. “The funds we’ve raised in New York will bring us closer to achieving our vision—a world where every patient can receive their life-saving cell therapy.”

At the event, NMDP also paid tribute to Academy Award®-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Matthew Heineman, the director of the documentary American Symphony. In collaboration with NMDP, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Higher Ground, Heineman helped launch the American Symphony: Become a Lifesaver campaign late last year. The campaign encouraged more people to join the registry, volunteer and donate funds to help patients and families in need.

NMDP was also proud to recognize AstraZeneca with the 2024 NMDP Corporate Leadership Award for their multi-faceted support of their life-saving mission. AstraZeneca has contributed generously through collaborative and philanthropic initiatives over the past several years. “AstraZeneca is proud to be a long-standing supporter of NMDP’s life-saving work. We encourage everyone to get involved with their important mission—be it through joining the registry, volunteering, or attending an event. Let’s come together to support NMDP and the blood cancer community,” said Nilsa Sanchez, Vice President of Hematology Franchise for U.S. Oncology, AstraZeneca.

Finally, this year’s honorary chairs, Make Me Stronger Foundation, remind us of the importance of connecting with and uplifting the communities we serve. The Make Me Stronger Foundation started by adding thousands of potential donors to the registry in support of their close friend, Sameer Bhatia’s, battle with acute myeloid leukemia. It has since expanded to an inaugural grant of $75,000 that directly aids pre-transplant patients facing financial hardships, ensuring they have access to life-saving blood stem cell transplants. “Knowing all the barriers on a journey to healing, the financial barrier is one we can collectively eliminate and give families more time together," said Ekata Doshi, Make Me Stronger founding member and leukemia warrior.

Thanks in part to fundraising, NMDP has made monumental strides in accelerating progress and expanding access to treatment. The organization recently unveiled breakthrough research that will allow more patients with blood cancer or blood disorders to receive life-saving cell therapy.

About NMDP^SM

At NMDP^SM, we believe each of us holds the key to curing blood cancers and disorders. As a global nonprofit leader in cell therapy, NMDP creates essential connections between researchers and supporters to inspire action and accelerate innovation to find life-saving cures. With the help of blood stem cell donors from the world’s most diverse registry and our extensive network of transplant partners, physicians and caregivers, we’re expanding access to treatment so that every patient can receive their life-saving cell therapy. NMDP. Find cures. Save lives.

Contact:
Erin Bix
NMDP
917-204-6355
ebix@nmdp.org