Over 150 golfers came to the Pinetree Country Club on Nov. 10 for one purpose: to raise money for the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world. Be The Match Foundation helps to match patients diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases with compatible donors.
“We wanted to partner with a charity that makes a direct impact,” said CEO Eric Wilhelm. “The cause also wind up being close to home when a staff member was diagnosed with lymphoma, so it became an obvious choice.”
The Gears and Greens Golf Tournament, hosted by Kennesaw-based company Coregistics, raised $100,000 that will support Be The Match On Campus, the foundation’s push to encourage young people to become donors.
By partnering with the campus programs, “It allows us to nurture and develop an entire generation of ‘do gooders’ who are focused on ensuring that every patient diagnosed with blood cancer can find a life-saving marrow donor,” added Wilhelm, who hopes this partnership with the company’s other college and universities initiatives will help BTM reach its goals.
Currently, Be The Match On Campus chapters are at University of Georgia and Mercer University School of Medicine-Savannah Campus; Kennesaw State University will be joining later this school year.
“We really want to emphasize the importance of people between the ages of 18-44 becoming donors to the registry that’s why this partnership with Coregistics and Be The Match on Campus is really important to expanding our message to campuses and the local community,” said Rebecca Kolis, senior director of network fundraising.
