On March 20, in Washington, D.C., a first-time meeting between a marrow transplant recipient and her donor brought about tears of joy and forged a life-long connection between two women. But the meeting also raised awareness about how Congressional support is vital to help future patients get the marrow or cord blood transplants they need.
Be The Match arranged the first-time meeting between transplant recipient Kate Jauch and her donor, Kyndess Eaggleston, who was identified as the best match for Kate from among the more than 19 million volunteer donors listed on the Be The Match Registry.
The day after their emotional meeting, both women shared their experiences with Members of Congress at several legislative briefings arranged by Be The Match. Kyndess and Kate each spoke about the importance of advocacy, program funding, and access to transplant for Americans with blood cancer and other blood disorders.
“I was fortunate to have found a match, and we must continue to grow the registry for those who will need a transplant in the future,” said Kate. “This is why we are urging policymakers to protect access to transplant through increased program funding.”
At the briefings, both women spoke to Members of Congress and their legislative aides about how increased funding is needed to optimize access to marrow transplantation and to improve outcomes, particularly for Americans who might have difficulty finding a match or for patients where a transplant is their only chance for a cure.
“It was very moving to meet Kate in person and know that this is someone I will forever be bonded to through the Be The Match Registry,” said Kyndess. “I encourage anybody eligible to sign up to be a donor. They make the process easy and knowing you could potentially save a life is incredible.”
How you can advocate to help patients who need transplants
The first-time meeting between Kyndess and Kate raised awareness among the many Member of Congress who attended the briefings that for Medicare beneficiaries, funding for bone marrow transplants fall short of the actual costs of care.
Advocates such as Kyndess and Kate are urging Congress to act swiftly to pass HR 4215, legislation to ensure that future Medicare payment for cellular transplant reflects the true costs of treatment, including cell acquisition, transplant and recovery for older Americans diagnosed with blood cancers or other disorders.
As described on the legislative advocacy webpage, HR 4215 will reform reimbursement to hospitals for the cell acquisition costs using a methodology similar to that used for solid organs. This policy would have a very small impact on Medicare’s total spending, but would ensure patient access to life-saving care.
Learn more about how you can advocate on this and other issues affecting access to live-saving transplants.
