The Colorado College Chapter of the National Marrow Donor Program (CC NMDP) helped to add over 120 new donors to the national bone marrow registry this past academic year—and for CC NMDP President Iris Pixler ’27, the work is intensely personal.
Pixler’s father was diagnosed with lymphoma before she was born, and when she was 14, he received a bone marrow transplant from an anonymous donor in the United Kingdom.
“From that moment, I was really excited about NMDP and their mission,” Pixler says. The nonprofit NMDP operates the national registry matching bone marrow and blood stem cell donors to patients with cancers and blood diseases.
Pixler’s father relapsed in 2022 and received another donation from an anonymous donor. He passed away in July 2023, and to honor him, Pixler joined the registry the following week. A few months later, she learned she was a match for a nine-year-old with leukemia. NMDP paid for Pixler and her mom to travel to Arizona to donate.
The next summer, Pixler reconnected with NMDP at a recruiting table at Denver Pride, where a staff member encouraged her to start a college chapter at CC. Pixler got right to work—CC NMDP was officially up and running by Fall 2024.
CC NMDP’s main goal is to recruit donors and educate people about stem cell and bone marrow donations.
“The exciting thing about this club is that our whole mission is to save lives,” says Mica Hart ’27, the club’s secretary. “Every new member gives a cancer patient or patient with a blood disease a chance of finding a match.”
Each year, 18,000 Americans are diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer or blood disorder that may be treated with a stem cell or bone marrow donation. While many hope to use a family donor, about 75% of blood cancer patients can’t find a suitable match within their family.
Throughout the year, CC NMDP attends events to recruit new registry members—with a particular focus on diversifying the pool. Because donors who share a patient’s ethnic background are more likely to be a strong Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) match, the chapter actively works to reach communities underrepresented in a registry that which currently skews heavily toward people of European descent.
A strong HLA match is critical because it prevents the donor’s immune cells from attacking the recipient’s body. The closer the match, the more likely the transplant will be successful.
Joining the registry from a NMDP tabling event takes about five minutes: a quick eligibility form online, a cheek swab, and NMDP handles the rest.
CC NMDP took their mission to Ball Arena twice this year—to a Denver Nuggets game in January, in partnership with the Nuggets and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, and a Colorado Avalanche game in March.
Last fall, the club hosted a winter blanket-making event for Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, where they made and donated handmade blankets while teaching their peers about NMDP.
CC NMDP stands out because “students take full ownership of their work, showing deep commitment to their mission,” says Sarah Elsey, staff advisor and Campus Engagement Program Manager. “This group exemplifies student-driven success.”
CC NMDP also collects financial donations from people who want to support NMDP but don’t fit donor requirements or prefer not to join the registry.
Financial costs are the top barrier reported by patients seeking a transplant. NMDP uses financial donations to help cover transportation costs, temporary housing, and clinic co-pays—and since transplant centers are limited, donors often need to travel too. NMDP covers travel and hotel for both the donor and a companion.
CC NMDP hopes to earn the NMDP Chapter Excellence Award this coming academic year by raising $1,000 and getting 150 new donors on the registry. The chapter raised $1,002 and added 122 to the registry this past academic year.
Learn more about NMDP (formerly Be The Match) or sign up for the registry on the website.
CC students can complete CC NMDP’s interest form, join the GroupMe, or visit the chapter’s Instagram.
