Brothers at SAE chapters across the country are showing how good can go a long way in the lives of people with blood cancers, like leukemia, and blood disorders, like sickle cell disease. Just three years ago, in July 2021, SAE launched a national partnership with NMDPSM. Since then, the good that SAE brothers have done has continued to multiply.
Growing awareness—and the donor registry
NMDP is a global nonprofit leader in cell therapy that helps find cures and save lives for people with blood cancers and disorders. For many of these patients, a blood stem cell transplant using cells from a donor is their best chance for a life-saving cure.
Doctors use genetic markers called human leukocyte antigens (HLA) to match patients with suitable donors. People inherit HLA from their biological parents, but not all siblings always have the same HLA. That means patients often don’t have a suitable matching donor in their family.
That’s where NMDP—and SAE—come in. Through its registry, NMDP connects patients to potential blood stem cell donors. SAE leaders and chapters around the United States have dedicated themselves to growing the NMDP RegistrySM of potential donors by recruiting more young people.
Getting younger people to join the registry is important because doctors request younger donors most often. That’s because research has shown that using blood stem cells from younger donors leads to more successful outcomes for patients. Young men produce a higher volume of cells for transplant, which can also contribute to a transplant’s success.
SAE chapters are increasing awareness among people who are 18 to 24 years old by organizing donor registration events for their campuses and communities. Our brothers’ efforts have led to more than 17,000 new registry members. More than 50 people have gone on to donate blood stem cells for a patient in need.
Demonstrating leadership and service
Since launching our national partnership with NMDP, SAE members have shown our standards of leadership and service in other ways, too.
During an Executives Academy event in 2023, more than 250 attendees helped prep and label more than 4,800 swab kits for NMDP. A simple cheek swab is one of the first steps on the path to joining the registry.
At the Ritual Academy in 2024, two SAE members and NMDP blood stem cells donors—Richie Price from Ole Miss and Ethan Moore from the University of Idaho—received the SAE Order of the Phoenix award for their service to NMDP and dedication to being donors.
NMDP recognized all of SAE’s efforts by honoring our fraternity with its Grow Award during The ONE Forum® by NMDP in 2023. NMDP gives this award to an individual or group who has grown the organization’s presence within the community.
Finding limitless opportunities for good
All SAE members can help make a difference in the lives of patients—even those for whom college is in the rearview mirror. That’s because NMDP is more than a donor registry.
NMDP and its advocacy volunteers and ambassadors work for patients at the state and national level to secure legislative victories so patients can have better coverage for treatment. The organization studies treatment outcomes and pursues clinical trials to create a world where every patient will be able to receive their life-saving cell therapy.
NMDP also helps patients navigate treatment and overcome challenges before and after transplant. Finding a suitably matched donor is critical for patients who need a blood stem cell transplant—but it’s not the only challenge they face.
Financial costs are the number one burden or barrier to treatment that patients report to NMDP. Even if insurance covers the procedure, the cost of medicines, copays, temporary housing and transportation stack up over time as patients work to heal.
NMDP uses money raised through fundraising to help patients cover these costs, to add more potential donors to the registry and to fund groundbreaking research.
For our SAE brothers, there are limitless opportunities for good to help ensure every patient can look forward to the future—and the chance for a cure. Discover how at nmdp.org/sae.
SAE brothers are helping save more lives
- Increased awareness with continued social media posts
- 17,000+ new NMDP Registry members recruited
- Recruitment efforts led to 50+ blood stem cell donors for matching patients
