Preserve Our Legacy to host 2nd Annual Cord Blood and Bone Marrow Awarenes Week in November

Save the Date


New York, NY –In 2010, Preserve Our Legacy hosted its first week of awareness campaign for their 10-year old client LJ Jones, who was in need of a bone marrow transplant. This year, Preserve Our Legacy partnered with Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright, the YMCA of Greater New York, Metropolitan College of New York, The Friends of Harlem Hospital, Harlem Hospital and 1199 SEIU to host their second annual week of bone marrow and umbilical cord blood awareness to help find a donors for various ethnic patients in need starting November 14-19, 2011.

Preserve Our Legacy, the organization that spearheaded Jaden’s Law, and Assemblyman Wright will be joined this year by Link to Life Network, Inc., the only African-American recruitment group for Be The Match, The Friends of Harlem Hospital, The YMCA of Greater New York, Metropolitan College of New York and 1199 SEIU will host six donor drives to applaud prospective bone marrow donors for a quick registration and cheek swab. This year, Preserve Our Legacy will also offer pregnant women the opportunity to register as umbilical cord blood donors for the Preserve Our Legacy Umbilical Cord Blood Program. These drives will be hosted at various YMCA locations in Bronx, Harlem, Queens, Brooklyn, 1199 SEIU and MCNY.

“Last year with the help of Assemblyman Keith Wright, The YMCA of Greater New York and MCNY our awareness campaign was a success. I am delighted that they are our partners this year and we are honored to add The Friends of Harlem, Harlem Hospital and 1199 SEIU this year, in addition to, various locations throughout America. Our goal for this week of awareness will be to help at least one patient find a match,” said Preserve Our Legacy Founder and President Brett Melius.

Earlier this year, Shana Melius’ appeared on BET’s 106 & Park and registered hosts Terrence and Rosci as bone marrow donors. Preserve Our Legacy also received a resolution from Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright and Governor Cuomo naming May 3, 2011 officially Bone Marrow and Umbilical Cord Blood day for New York State, recognizing Preserve Our Legacy’s efforts with increase awareness within various ethnic communities.

Registering as a bone marrow donor is a safe, yet easy process and painless. The entire registration process is about eight (8) minutes. Registering as an umbilical cord blood donor is for pregnant women and completed before delivery of the baby. The collection is completed after baby is born.

Celebrities and professional athletes will also team up in support of Preserve Our Legacy awareness week. More information will be provided at a later date.

Visit http://www.preserveourlegacy.org to learn more about additional drive locations during this week.

Contact:
Shana Melius for P.O.L., 877-778-3623 x702, shana.melius@preserveourlegacy.org.
Shyra Johnson for P.O.L., 877-778-3623 x718, shyra.johnson@preserveourlegacy.org.
Ben Rosen for Assemblyman Wright, 518-455-4793, rosenb@assembly.state.ny.us.

###

PRESERVE OUR LEGACY PARTNERS WITH LINK TO LIFE NETWORK TO EDUCATE AND INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT BONE MARROW DONATION

Historical Partnership to increase awareness

New York, NY – Individuals with an ethnic background are at a disadvantage when it comes to finding a bone marrow match on the National Registry. According to the U.S. Census report, there are 311,899, 603 people in the United States and out of population, only 9 million people are registered on the National BE THE MATCH Registry as bone marrow donors. According to the C.W. Bill Young Transplantation website, in 2010, out of 9 million registered volunteers, only 28% (approximately 2.5 million volunteer donors) are represented by individuals from ethnic backgrounds. However, there is a new historical partnership that will embark on increasing the numbers of ethnic volunteer donors – that is Preserve Our Legacy and Link to Life Network, Inc.

Link to Life Network, Inc. (LTLN), is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization, which was formed in 1992 to assist the NMDP in its efforts to register minority bone marrow donors. LTLN is the “only” African American official recruitment group of the National Marrow Donor Program/BE THE MATCH registry. Their mission is to increase the opportunity for minorities with life threatening diseases to obtain bone marrow transplants by increasing public awareness of the need for minority potential bone marrow registrants.

Preserve Our Legacy, Inc. (POL) is a 501 (c)(3), not-for-profit organization that was started after the devastating loss of a friend’s son named Jaden Hilton. The mission of the organization is to educate (edu-tain) individuals and create awareness about the benefits of stem cells and treatment options they provide, through peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC), bone marrow and umbilical cord blood donation. In efforts to increase awareness, POL founders fought and co-wrote A2168/S2038 in New Jersey. This historical legislation was established when NJ Governor Christie signed their legislation into law on August 25, 2010. The organization also received a resolution from New York Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright naming May 3, “Bone Marrow and Umbilical Cord Blood Day” officially for New York State.

These organizations have joined forces to increase awareness within the ethnic community about the benefits of becoming a registered volunteer to help save a life. Both organizations have a calendar full of events that will be announced in the near future.

For more information about Preserve Our Legacy, Inc. log onto to or contact 877.778.3623: Shana Melius, ext 702 or shana.melius@preserveourlegacy.org, for more information about Link to Life Network, Inc. log onto or contact 917 593-4174 or michaelmarrowman@aol.com. For more information about C.W. Bill Young Transplantation Program Registry Data log on to: http://bloodcell.transplant.hrsa.gov/RESEARCH/Registry_Data/index.html
###