Football Registers 206 to "Be The Match"
Blue Devils hold their first-ever donor registry drive on campus
The Central Connecticut football team registered 206 new individuals to the "Be The Match Registry", operated by the National Marrow Donor Program, on Thursday, April 16, 2015. The Blue Devils set a goal of 200 new registrants on the day, and surpassed that goal. Each player and staff member were responsible for recruiting new potential donors to the drive on Thursday.
"I was approached four years ago by Head Coach Andy Talley at Villanova about doing a drive at my former school. He explained the mission and purpose and I thought it was a wonderful idea," head coach Pete Rossomando said on Thursday. "Many of our coaches and players have been touched by leukemia and other blood diseases and I thought this was one way we could make a difference. This was my fourth drive and I will do them as long as there are eligible people to register."
Members of the football team worked hand-in-hand with representatives from the National Bone Marrow Donor Program, helping to register donors, collect samples, and answer any potential questions donors may have.
"I'm proud of the way our CCSU community stepped up on Thursday, and proud of the total number of donors we registered. You never know when that one donor may be the one who helps save a life down the road. This is an important day for our team and our school to make a difference in our community," Rossomando added.
About Be The Match
Be The Match® is a global leader in bone marrow transplantation. They conduct research to improve transplant outcomes provide support and resources for patients, and partner with a global network. For the thousands of people diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, a cure exists. Over the past 25 years Be The Match®, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), has managed the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world. They work every day to save lives through transplant.
Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.
