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Catholicos Karekin II Joins ABMDR Registry

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  • Catholicos Karekin II Joins ABMDR Registry

    CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II JOINS ABMDR REGISTRY

    asbarez
    Monday, July 26th, 2010

    Karekin II undergoes a simple medical test to join registry

    LOS ANGELES-His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians,
    became the latest potential stem cell donor to join the ranks of the
    Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

    The pontiff's membership in the registry was formalized on July 22,
    following a simple, non-intrusive medical test that took place at in
    Etchmiadzin. The brief standard test, which ABMDR volunteers administer
    to all potential stem cell donors before they can join the registry,
    confirmed that His Holiness is in excellent health and hence qualified
    to donate bone marrow stem cells, should he be identified as a match
    for a patient needing bone marrow transplantation.

    Commenting on his decision to join the ABMDR, the Catholicos stated:
    "This is an important day filled with blessings. I am pleased to note
    that by becoming a potential donor one can help save someone's life.

    To this end, I encourage the citizens of Armenia as well as Armenians
    throughout the Diaspora to actively participate in the work of the
    registry, with the understanding that it might be one of us who can
    give the gift of life by donating a little blood."

    "With this I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to
    all those who are supporting the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry,
    and once again encourage each and everyone to be of assistance by
    registering as potential stem cell donors," added the Catholicos.

    An ABMDR representative in Yerevan said that the Catholicos
    volunteered to join the registry as a personal gesture of support
    and more importantly, to help raise public awareness of the critical
    need for Armenians worldwide to register with the ABMDR as potential
    stem cell donors. The same source added that since ethnic Armenians
    have a unique genetic makeup, often their only chance of surviving
    a life-threatening blood-related illness is to receive a bone marrow
    transplant from an Armenian donor.

    Last month, for the first time in the history of Armenia and
    the Caucasus region, the ABMDR performed a stem cell harvesting
    procedure in Yerevan. Thanks to the procedure, during which stem
    cells were harvested from a healthy donor, a bone marrow transplant
    was performed in Belgium, saving the life of a patient who suffered
    from a potentially terminal blood-related disease.

    As 2010 marks the tenth anniversary of the ABMDR, a series of special
    events has been planned for throughout the year. In addition to
    recruiting bone marrow donors, these events will seek support for
    the establishment of a stem cell transplantation center in Armenia
    and the creation of support groups throughout the world.

    Established in 1999, the 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 15,000
    donors across three continents, identified 1,696 patients, found
    1,419 potential matches, and facilitated ten bone marrow transplants.

    For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.




    From: A. Papazian
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