With the release of
the President’s FY 2017 budget, the Congress now begins its work to appropriate federal spending. As
part of this work, it appropriates dollars for the C.W. Bill Young Cell
Transplantation Program (Program), which Be The Match operates through a
contract with the federal government. It also appropriates dollars for the
National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI). Dollars for both programs help increase
the number of marrow donors and cord blood units on the national Be The Match
Registry.
During the last
five years, funding for the Program and NCBI has remained relatively flat. Every dollar allocated by the
Congress goes to increasing the number of donors and cord blood units on the
registry, helping patients navigate the complexities of the health care system
when preparing for transplant, supporting research to discover
and apply the best therapies, and improving patient outcomes. Thus, we are asking the Congress to modestly
increase funding for 2017 to help improve the diversity of the registry.
We need your help
to encourage the Congress to maintain its commitment to individuals who need a
life-saving bone marrow or cord blood transplant by increasing the funding
levels and expanding the registry. Take action now!
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