Ensure Patient Access to Life-Saving Marrow Transplants
Are you the difference between life and death?
Every four minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer like leukemia or lymphoma.
For many of these patients, an actual cure exists — a bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant could save their life.
But recent across-the-board federal funding cuts are putting lives in jeopardy: $3 million has been diverted away from the life-saving programs run by Be The Match®, the national nonprofit that connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving transplant.
That means 20,000 potential bone marrow donors and 1,000 cord blood units may not be added to the national registry this year — additions that could be a patient’s only match, and only cure.
When you or a loved one are diagnosed with cancer, you should be able to receive the care needed to beat your disease. You know this, we know this, but sometimes Congress needs a reminder.
You can do something about this.
On behalf of cancer patients everywhere, add your name to the petition urging Congress to restore and expand federal funding to programs supporting vital bone marrow transplant services.
I believe that bone marrow transplant services should be protected and expanded, and that everyone should have a chance to find a cure. I am grateful for the commitment that Congress has shown through support of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory. But recent cuts in federal funding brought about by sequestration could put lives in jeopardy and take away a cancer patient’s second chance at life.
[Your comments will go here]
I urge you to do everything in your power to protect these programs so that every searching patient might find a match. By restoring funding, you can give a very real chance to a person who needs just one possible match to survive.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
