[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S386-S387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL MARROW DONOR PROGRAM

 Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. President, today I wish to speak about an 
important health issue that impacts the lives of many people across the 
country. Each year, more than 18,000 Americans are diagnosed with a 
serious blood disease and require a bone marrow transplant. 
Unfortunately, only 30 percent of those patients in need will find a 
suitable match within their family. Although about 5,000 patients each 
year receive a marrow transplant, others will pass away while awaiting 
a match.
  Since 1987, the National Marrow Donor Program, NMDP, now publically

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known as Be The Match, has undertaken a laudable effort to connect 
transplant patients with healthy, unrelated donors through the Be The 
Match Registry. Today, the registry includes more than 9.5 million 
registered donors. Despite their success in raising awareness and 
soliciting support, a small percentage of our population is registered. 
Patients from ethnic and minority communities face particular 
difficulty in finding matches due to limited diversity within the 
registry, further complicating the search for a viable genetic match. 
Deutsche Knochenmarkspenderdatei gGmbH, DKMS, currently the largest 
bone marrow donor center in the world, shares Be The Match's commitment 
to increasing donor recruitment and diversifying the marrow donor 
registry.
  This year, marrow donor registry drives will take place in 
communities across America. One in particular, known as Simon's 
Saturday, will take place in Emmaus, PA. The bone marrow donor drive is 
named after Simon Ernst, an energetic 8-year-old from Upper Milford, 
who is bravely battling leukemia and awaiting a bone marrow transplant. 
Participation in the marrow donor registry is simple and safe. 
Interested participants must meet the age and health requirements, fill 
out a registration form, and provide a swab of cheek cells. I would 
like to encourage those interested to attend a bone marrow drive in 
their community or to join online by visiting the NDMP website at 
www.BeTheMatch.org or the DKMS website at www.getswabbed.org.
 The bone marrow donor program is a cause close to my family's heart, 
which is why I intend to participate in a bone marrow registry drive on 
February 18, 2012. This issue is especially important to my wife Kris, 
who has been a registered donor through Be The Match for the last 16 
years, and I look forward to joining her and the more than 9.5 million 
individuals who have already joined. Together we can help provide hope 
and save lives.

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