RUSSELLVILLE, AR (April 16, 2015) – Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and wife Casey joined Arkansas Tech and BeTheMatch.org for an incredible bone marrow drive yesterday on the University’s campus. The event kicked off on Tuesday night at 9:00 pm and continued for a 24-hour period, as the group attempted to break the world record for bone marrow registries.
In the first hour, Arkansas Tech, along with their student body and staff, were able to stamp their name into the Guinness Book of Records, as they registered 250 people into the bone marrow registry, breaking the record for registries a 60 minute time frame. In addition, the event totaled 1696 registries, making it one of the most successful bone marrow drives in recent history.
“The Be The Match bone marrow drive at Arkansas Tech University was one of the most memorable and gratifying events I’ve ever been involved with.” said Robert Guerrero. “To see all the students and staff working endlessly to help save lives was truly amazing. My wife and I were greeted with open arms and together we were able to shed light on what it takes to be a caregiver, as well as being patient. In addition, we shared our story with many students, educating everyone on how easy it is to become a donor. The fact that the event registered close to 1,700 new donors was unbelievable. I want to thank Dr. Jason Warnick and Dr. Julie Mikles-Schlutermanand , their colleagues, as well as the students at ATU, for making this event a huge success. Many lives will be saved and that’s what life is all about, helping others.”
“There are no words for how proud I am of the volunteers and registrants who made our Be The Match drive a success,” said Dr Jason Warnick. “The outpouring of support for this initiative both on and off campus was overwhelming, and the opportunity to host Robert and Casey Guerrero at Arkansas Tech took the entire experience over the top. Their passion for this cause inspired our students, faculty and staff. I think the lasting lesson from our drive is how powerful a community can be when it unites in support of a common goal.”
Be The Match registry drives focus on individuals age 18-44 due to medical research that indicates that age group is most likely to provide a successful bone marrow transplant. Be The Match registration is free for individuals age 18-44.
Individuals age 45-60 may register with Be The Match at www.bethematch.org with a donation of $100.
About Be The Match
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. We work every day to save lives through transplant.
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