Gift of Life Marrow Registry sets Guinness World Record on World Marrow Donor Day
On September 17, 2016, in honor of marrow donors worldwide, Gift of Life Marrow Registry made history by setting the Guinness World Records title for largest cotton swab.
- (1888PressRelease) September 18, 2016 - Gift of Life Marrow Registry, an international bone marrow registry, celebrated World Marrow Donor Day (WMDD) on Saturday, September 17, 2016 by setting the Guinness World Records title for largest cotton swab.
The official attempt to set the Guinness World Records title took place in Columbus Circle in New York City. The swab, measured by Guinness judge Michael Furnari reached 18.86 feet. Furnari presented the certificate of completion to Gift of Life CEO and Founder Jay Feinberg, Gift of Life Community Engagement Coordinator Russell Lowe and Gift of Life Project Manager Nick Hudson.
Lowe built the swab and was instrumental in achieving the record. The cotton swab was chosen to represent the implement used to rub the inside lining of the inner cheek which gathers cells of potential volunteer marrow donors.
"I made the giant Q-tip to help raise awareness for all the people who have both donated and received bone marrow transplants, as well as all of the countless people who are still desperately searching for their miracle match," said Lowe. "It was a difficult process to make the record-breaking swab, but it was worth it to try and get the word out about this amazing and life-saving cause"
In addition to setting the record, the organization's Campus Ambassadors ran bone marrow recruitment drives at their respective colleges and universities worldwide to celebrate the day.
Gift of Life's Campus Ambassador Program (CAP), which includes more than 100 college students, from Dartmouth to Hebrew University in Israel, aims to register thousands of students via a simple cheek swab during this global bone marrow drive. Through WMDD, Gift of Life not only hopes to add names to the marrow registry, but will also work to educate the public on the need to increase the ethnic background of donors in the registry.
Gift of Life is a member of the World Marrow Donor Association, the originator of WMDD. Following last year's successful inaugural celebration of the day, WMDA decided to continue thanking donors and highlighting the global cooperation in blood stem cell transplantation worldwide on the 3rd Saturday of September annually.
About Gift of Life
Gift of Life Marrow Registry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives and facilitating bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood-related diseases.
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