Saving lives through policy change

The Life Saving Leave Act would allow people to take up to 40 unpaid hours off to donate bone marrow or blood cells. Passing this legislation is pivotal to ensuring donors can move forward with saving a life without risking their job security.

Since the mid-1980s, Congress has entrusted NMDP to operate the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, also known as the nation’s blood and marrow registry. In 2021, Congress passed the TRANSPLANT Act, renewing the program for an additional five years. Advocates will play an important role in securing the program’s future and legacy.

Because of the work of our legislative advocates, elected officials became aware of the necessity for increased access to bone marrow or blood cell transplants for patients. Communicating the needs of our patients resulted in members of Congress passing bipartisan legislation that provides more than $30 million to support the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program.

We’ve been busy at the state level, too, fighting for issues like making sure patients have expanded health insurance access (including Medicaid coverage), increasing support for caregivers and more. Find out how we show up in your state.