August 23, 2012 -- It was announced today that Preserve Our Legacy and Bone Marrow Registry in Nigeria will partner to increase awareness about stem cells and treatment options provided through bone marrow, PBSC and cord blood donors for various ethnic groups throughout the world. Only a few years ago, Seun was diagnosed with two rare aggressive forms of leukemia and in need of a stem cell transplant to survive through a bone marrow or cord blood donor that matched his ethnic background. In 2009, Seun met Preserve Our Legacy Co-founders Brett and Shana Melius. The organization hosted Seun's first bone marrow drive in Harlem for him at Harlem Children's Zone.
Seun, like many ethnic patients like 3-year old Jaden Hilton, have a limited amount of available volunteer donors because many ethnic groups are underrepresented on the National Registry, which makes the circumstance even direr. Presently, there are five ethnic groups combined make up 28% of the National Registry for available bone marrow donors and 43% available for such patients through cord blood donors. An umbilical cord blood donor helped save Seun's life. To provide a better opportunity for ethnic patients, the goal of both groups is to spread the word around the world about registering as a bone marrow, PBSC and cord blood donors worldwide.
Bone Marrow Registry in Nigeria was historically launched on February 24, 2012 as the first registry in Nigeria and the second registry in Africa. The mission is to improve the odds of finding an HLA-compatible donor for patients in need all over the world. BMRN seeks to build the first cord blood bank in Nigeria (and Africa), and to make other investments in healthcare delivery mechanisms that will reduce the long-term costs of bone marrow transplants. "I am thrilled that Preserve Our Legacy is building bridges with the Nigerian registry. Cancer transcends all boundaries; to be successful, so must we", says Seun Adebiyi, Co-Founder of BMRN.
Preserve Our Legacy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, whose mission is to educate individuals, especially those from various ethnic groups, about the benefits of stem cells through treatment options provided via peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC), bone marrow and umbilical cord blood donations. The organization also spearheaded Jaden's Law to increase awareness about PBSC and bone marrow donation within various ethnic communities. Preserve Our Legacy launched the first educational program, P.O.L. Umbilical Cord Blood Program at Harlem Hospital in December 2010. "We are striving to educate individuals throughout the world to save lives and what better way to do so, than with our friend, Seun", says Brett Melius, Preserve Our Legacy Co-Founder. "Seun is a success story and a living testimony for these various treatment options provided through a cord blood donation. Therefore, this historical partnership provides us the ability to inform the world about patients in need like Jaden and what they do to can help save someone desperately in need", says Shana Melius, Preserve Our Legacy Co-founder.
For more information about the Bone Marrow Registry in Nigeria log on to:http://www.bonemarrownigeria.org. For more information about Preserve Our Legacy log on to http://www.preserveourlegacy.org or call 877.778.3623 or email info@preserveourlegacy.org.
Seun, like many ethnic patients like 3-year old Jaden Hilton, have a limited amount of available volunteer donors because many ethnic groups are underrepresented on the National Registry, which makes the circumstance even direr. Presently, there are five ethnic groups combined make up 28% of the National Registry for available bone marrow donors and 43% available for such patients through cord blood donors. An umbilical cord blood donor helped save Seun's life. To provide a better opportunity for ethnic patients, the goal of both groups is to spread the word around the world about registering as a bone marrow, PBSC and cord blood donors worldwide.
Bone Marrow Registry in Nigeria was historically launched on February 24, 2012 as the first registry in Nigeria and the second registry in Africa. The mission is to improve the odds of finding an HLA-compatible donor for patients in need all over the world. BMRN seeks to build the first cord blood bank in Nigeria (and Africa), and to make other investments in healthcare delivery mechanisms that will reduce the long-term costs of bone marrow transplants. "I am thrilled that Preserve Our Legacy is building bridges with the Nigerian registry. Cancer transcends all boundaries; to be successful, so must we", says Seun Adebiyi, Co-Founder of BMRN.
Preserve Our Legacy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, whose mission is to educate individuals, especially those from various ethnic groups, about the benefits of stem cells through treatment options provided via peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC), bone marrow and umbilical cord blood donations. The organization also spearheaded Jaden's Law to increase awareness about PBSC and bone marrow donation within various ethnic communities. Preserve Our Legacy launched the first educational program, P.O.L. Umbilical Cord Blood Program at Harlem Hospital in December 2010. "We are striving to educate individuals throughout the world to save lives and what better way to do so, than with our friend, Seun", says Brett Melius, Preserve Our Legacy Co-Founder. "Seun is a success story and a living testimony for these various treatment options provided through a cord blood donation. Therefore, this historical partnership provides us the ability to inform the world about patients in need like Jaden and what they do to can help save someone desperately in need", says Shana Melius, Preserve Our Legacy Co-founder.
For more information about the Bone Marrow Registry in Nigeria log on to:http://www.bonemarrownigeria.org. For more information about Preserve Our Legacy log on to http://www.preserveourlegacy.org or call 877.778.3623 or email info@preserveourlegacy.org.
