After a simple blood test, Hampig Sassounian registered as ABMDR’s newest potential bone marrow stem cell donor.
LOS ANGELES—Hampig Sassounian joined the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry as a potential bone marrow donor. He registered with ABMDR on Wednesday, during a visit to the organization’s Yerevan headquarters.
Sassounian was welcomed to the facility by ABMDR President Dr. Frieda Jordan, Executive Director Dr. Sevak Avagyan, Medical Director Dr. Mihran Nazaretyan, and the staff of the ABMDR Lab.
Hampig Sassounian with ABMDR executives and Lab staff
Sassounian was subsequently given a tour of the premises, which include ABMDR’s HLA Typing Lab and Stem Cell Harvesting Center, and was familiarized with ABMDR’s operations throughout the globe. Following a simple blood test, Sassounian registered as ABMDR’s newest potential bone marrow stem cell donor.
Sassounian said he was highly impressed by the scale and scope of ABMDR’s work worldwide. “I’m very proud to become a potential donor with ABMDR, for a chance to help save the life of a patient who might need a matched donor,” he said. “I encourage all eligible Armenians to join the registry, for the opportunity of giving the gift of life to a patient in need.”
“This is a historic day for ABMDR,” Dr. Sevak Avagyan said. “We are honored that Hampig Sassounian, our national hero, has joined the ABMDR family. Given the unique genetic makeup of ethnic Armenians, it is extremely important to increase the size of our registry, as it is more likely to find a match for an Armenian patient from among Armenian donors than from other ethnic groups.”
Hampig Sassounian with ABMDR Medical Director Dr. Mihran Nazaretyan (second from right) and members of the Lab staff.
“We salute Hampig for his selfless volunteerism and willingness to help our humanitarian mission,” Dr. Frieda Jordan said. “We hope many young people will follow his example.”
About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999, ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps Armenians and non-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 32,000 donors in 44 countries across four continents, identified over 9,000 patients, and facilitated 36 bone marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.