Vanderbilt Hillel Students Help Give the Gift of Life

At the recent Nashville Predators #hockeyfightscancer game, through the Gift of Life Marrow Registry, over 20 student volunteers from Vanderbilt Hillel added more than 240 fans and attendees to the Bone Marrow Donor Registry.  Hillel’s previous single night high at the Predators game was over 120 people added to the registry.  So, it was a VERY big night for the organization. 

 At the game, 12-year-old Randall met his donor. Randall, from Shreveport, Louisiana, was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Through the Gift of Life Marrow Registry, Randall was able to receive a second chance at life. His bone marrow donor, Cody, is from Columbus, Ohio. Cody played football at Ohio University. He joined the Gift of Life registry after an assistant coach was saved through a transplant. 

 Brian Small, Assistant Executive Director of Vanderbilt Hillel says he is proud of the student volunteers and for their success. “Our dedicated team of student leaders, including and especially our Gift of Life Campus Ambassadors, did a wonderful job of recruiting, training, engaging peers to volunteer and swab those in attendance at the game. The students are committed to saving lives and have really gotten behind this amazing partnership with Gift of Life Bone Marrow Donor Registry and the Nashville Predators Foundation Empowered by Smile Direct club.” Small says he is also grateful for the partnership with the Nashville Preds.  “We can’t possibly thank the Nashville Predators Foundation Empowered by Smile Direct Club enough for providing us with space during the game on the concourse and featuring a donor / recipient meeting during a TV timeout. They have helped us raise awareness for this very important cause and continue to show why they are a beloved organization here in Nashville.  We couldn’t ask for better partners and look forward to our next featured donor / recipient meeting at the game on Saturday, April 9.”