ABOUT US
Our mission is to provide education and awareness about bone marrow to the most under-represented groups on the national registry - Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans.
A Bone Marrow Wish (ABMW) is a minority-focused, grassroots, 501c3 organization that educates and recruits within the most under-represented communities for the NMDP/BeTheMatch Registry.
Our goal is simply to increase eliminate the huge racial ethnic gap
of potential donors on the registry.
There are is a disparity in the number of racial ethnicities currently registered with the NMDP:
9% Hispanic Americans
8% African Americans
7% Asian Americans
1% Native Americans
*While emphasis is placed on recruiting under-represented groups, everyone is welcome to participate in the education and recruitment efforts of ABMW.
History
John C. Frierson founded ABMW in November 2003, after registering at a drive hosted at his church for a local fire fighter in October 2002. Six months later he was chosen to save the life of a two-year old boy.
John 4 hours after his bone marrow donation
The bone marrow transplant was successfully completed in June 2003. The process was so non-evasive that John was inspired to share the critical need for minorities (especially African Americans) to join the National Marrow Donor Program - NMDP (Be the Match) registry using an innovative outreach approach that meets the target group in convenient places they frequent most!
ABMW was granted 501c3 status from the Internal Revenue Service December 2003. Since its inception, ABMW has registered more than 1,500 potential donors for the NMDP (Be the Match) registry and educated more than 3,000 minorities (people of color) to increase awareness about the critical need for bone marrow.
ABMW has grown from a donor led organization to one that actively engages the in-kind support of professionals, donors, recipients, organ transplant specialists, psychologists, and several health organizations to continue its mission and expand its vision both in Michigan as well as other states with large under-represented populations (African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American).
Major Accomplishments National Association Martell Rise Above Award 1. Make a tax deductible donation
African American
Bone Marrow Awareness Month
(Annually July)
In June 2007, U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick introduced ABMW' proposed national resolution for an African American Bone Marrow Awareness Month to the House of Representatives.
In June 2009, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) co-sponsored the resolution before the Senate and it was passed unanimously.
Inaugural Campaign starts July 2010
Michigan
Bone Marrow Awareness Day
June 3, 2006 Governor Jennifer Granholm issued a proclamation to ABMW for a Statewide African American Bone Marrow Awareness Day in Michigan.
of Letter Carriers (NALC)
"National Humanitarian Award"
In 2004, National Association of Letter Carriers recognized John's committment to educating and recruiting potential donors.
January 2005
We welcome your help!
You can change our world.
