Serj Tankian joins “Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry”

YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, ARMENPRESS:

Famous songwriter and lead singer of "System of a Down" rock band Serj Tankian has released a public-service video announcement dedicated to activity of "Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry" (ABMDR) benevolent foundation. The video is a sequence of shots presenting foundation's activity, accompanied with Tankian's call to join the range of the registered donors.

"The watching of the clip will take you only 30 seconds," the video says. "Only within 30 seconds you can help somebody like you to be born anew, to live, to love again, to play and to smile. Joining "Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry", you make a big step toward saving Armenians' lives. When you are registered as a donor, you also become a member of a large family, who has already saved lives in the whole world. But we still need just your help. Only Armenian donor can save his/her compatriot's life... only in 30 seconds," video runs.

Commenting on the release of the clip, chairperson of the foundation Frida Jordan addressed her words of gratitude and pride to Tankian for supporting the humanitarian action, calling him "a good example for Armenian youth".

Serj Tankian's clip is now available at the website of "Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry" (www. Abmdr.am), and will soon be placed at "YouTube" and other sites too.

During singer's August 15 civil meeting all wishers had the opportunity of following Tankian's example and giving blood immediately after the meeting. Donors of bone marrow are not paid contrary to blood donors.

"Only 18-50 year old people can become donors of bone marrow and only once in life. People ever infected with yellow jaundice cannot become donors. Donors must not have health problems," Manager of "Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry" Gohar Malkhasyan told Armenpress, adding that few people know that becoming a donor of marrow does not harm donor's health.

The ABMDR was founded in 1999 as an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization, whose mission is to ensure that every ethnic Armenian struck with a life threatening blood-related illness is able to find hope for long-term survival through the identification of a genetically suitable bone marrow match.

The ABMDR is a member of the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) and Bone Marrow Donor Worldwide (BMDW) sharing its database information with other registries around the world. In January 2008, ABMDR became a member of National Marrow Donor Program – NMDP.

Armenia is the only state in post-soviet territory to have bone marrow donor registry.