Griz football to support the "Get in the Game. Save a Life." program

The Montana Football team has partnered with the Get in the Game. Save a Life. program to help recruit potential donors to join the National Marrow Donor Program's Be the Match Registry, which connects patients in need with life-saving donors on the University of Montana campus.

Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with a life-threatening blood cancer. More than 12,000 patients don't have a matching marrow donor within their family. They depend on Be The Match to help find someone to give them hope for a cure.

At a recent team meeting, each member of the Grizzly Football team joined the Be The Match Registry. On Friday, April 26, the Grizzlies will spend the day recruiting fellow UM students to Get in the Game. Save a Life. with a registration drive at the University Center.

Started by former Villanova Head Football Coach Andy Talley and endorsed by the American Football Coaches Association, the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation's Get in the Game. Save a Life. program will work with more than 80 football and sports teams at colleges and universities across the nation this year to recruit new registry members.

"Grizzly football is proud to support Coach Talley and his goal of using the game of football as a vehicle to help save lives," said head coach Bobby Hauck.

"This event will be a small way for our student-athletes to give back to the community at large and hopefully make a positive impact on someone's life."

The Get in the Game. Save a Life. program raises awareness of the global need for donors and invites students, faculty, staff and the community to join the Be The Match Registry. To sign up as a committed registry member, people need to meet age and health guidelines and be willing to donate to any patient in need. Registration involves completing a health history form and giving a swab of cheek cells. Those of diverse racial or ethnic heritage are especially needed. Donors and patients who share the same ancestry are most likely to match.

The Grizzlies have a long history of supporting the Be The Match Registry. In 2013 Grizzly running back coach Justin Green joined the Be The Match Registry and helped save the life of a nine-year-old girl by donating blood platelets. Former Grizzly wide receiver Ryan Burke also helped save a life by donating bone marrow after being matched with a patient in need.

"I am very fortunate that I ended up being a match. I was compelled to donate because I knew that someone on the other end was fighting for their life and what a marrow transplant would mean to the individual and their family," said Burke.

"Anyone on our team that year would have done it if they were in my position, but I felt honored to donate and represent the Griz."

The Montana Student-Athlete Advisory Committee helped organize the 2013 registry drive, and the University of Montana School of Pharmacy has also organized a registration drive in the past.

The Grizzlies' Be The Match drive will take place at the University Center on April 26 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Other groups at UM are encouraged to join the Grizzlies and help recruit students to register for the Be The Match program on the day of the event.

About Be The Match
For people with life-threatening blood cancers—like leukemia and lymphoma—or other diseases, a cure exists. Be The Match connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. People can contribute to the cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry, financial contributor or volunteer. Be The Match provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant.

Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program^® (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2. For more information on the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation visit talleybonemarrow.org.

Grizzly Football Be the Match registration drive
When: April 26, 2019 – 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Where: University Center
            University of Montana
            32 Campus Drive
            Missoula, Mont. 59812

University of Montana Athletics

Griz football to support the "Get in the Game. Save a Life." program

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