Wolverines For Life

09/01/2026

100,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant nationwide. 60% are from backgrounds comprised of racial minority groups.

Silas P. Norman, M.D., from the U-M Health Transplant Center discusses the importance of increasing diversity on the organ donor list with Gift of Life Michigan.

Read more using the link. https://giftoflifemichigan.org/blog/diversity-organ-donation-michigan

09/01/2026

08/29/2026

At just 9 years old, Brandon has already shown remarkable strength through a difficult AML journey. Brandon was first diagnosed in 2025 and went into remission after completing five rounds of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, his AML relapsed this summer, making donor recruitment an urgent priority as his family explores transplant options.

Brandon lives in Hot Springs, AR. His identical twin is not a possible donor, as his older brother is only a 50% match. Brandon has Irish, French, Scottish, and North American heritage. He loves his dog and enjoys Legos, Minecraft, Roblox, fishing, swimming, and being outdoors with his brother.

Help Brandon on his transplant journey. Join the NMDP stem cell registry at join.nmdp.org/WFL.

08/27/2026

Oliver is a 2.5-year-old from the St. Joseph/Kansas City, MO area who was diagnosed with AML this summer. He has completed his first round of chemotherapy. Oliver is surrounded by a growing family, including his parents, his older sister, and a new baby on the way.

Help Oliver find a match. Join the NMDP stem cell registry at join.nmdp.org/WFL.

08/27/2026

The We Give Blood Drive

08/25/2026

We’re in the final stretch of NMDP’s Need More Donors People Summer Challenge.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared stories, facts, and real examples of how blood stem cell donation saves lives—including right here in Michigan. Each post has carried the same message: patients are still waiting for their match.

That match could come from someone who simply decides to join the registry today.

There is no way to predict who you might help. One day, it could be a child, a young adult, or a parent whose only chance at a cure depends on a stranger willing to say yes.

If you’ve been thinking about joining the NMDP Registry, this is your moment. A simple cheek swab is the first step toward something life-changing.

If you're between 18 and 35 and in general good health, consider taking that step today.

Join the registry: my.nmdp.org/wfl

08/19/2026

One donation can connect people across states, schools, and completely different lives.

A recent story from the University of Michigan shows just how powerful blood stem cell donation can be.

A University of Michigan Medical School graduate registered with the NMDP Registry years ago—simply as a volunteer willing to help a stranger in need. That decision later led to something extraordinary: they were identified as the *only match* for a young girl in Nebraska who needed a bone marrow transplant to treat a life-threatening condition.

Through that single donation, two Big Ten communities became connected in the most meaningful way possible—through a second chance at life.

Stories like this are only possible because people take the step to join the NMDP Registry. Every new member increases the chance that a patient, anywhere in the country, finds their match.

If you're between 18 and 35 and in general good health, you can take that first step today.

Join the registry: my.nmdp.org/wfl

Read the full story from Michigan Medicine: https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/two-big-ten-schools-connected-one-bone-marrow-donation

08/17/2026

08/14/2026

A life-changing stem cell transplant story—right here in Michigan.

At Michigan Medicine, a young patient recently became the first to receive a newly FDA-approved stem cell therapy for sickle cell disease, a serious blood disorder that affects blood flow, causes severe pain, and can lead to long-term complications.

Sickle cell disease is one of the conditions where blood stem cell transplantation—and emerging cellular therapies—can offer a path toward a cure or major improvement in quality of life.

Behind every breakthrough like this are donor matches made possible through registries like NMDP. Every new registry member increases the chance that patients here in Michigan—and across the country—find their life-saving match.

If you're between 18 and 35 and in general good health, consider joining the NMDP Registry today.

Join the registry: my.nmdp.org/wfl

Read more from Michigan Medicine: https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/first-u-m-patient-receives-newly-fda-approved-stem-cell-therapy-sickle-cell-anemia