Ann Arbor Times

Honors College student and biology major Lidya Berhanu has founded the EMU Gift of Life club at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) to promote cell donation and support individuals with leukemia and other blood cancers. The club is set to host its inaugural bone marrow drive on November 21 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Pray-Harrold Hall on the EMU campus.

Berhanu, serving as the club president, aims to encourage participation in the national bone marrow registry. She expressed her commitment by stating, “For years, this organization has been a beacon of hope, offering life-saving treatments and giving the greatest gift of all—life itself. Participating in Gift of Life allows me to leave my mark, not just as a student but as someone contributing to a life-saving cause.”

Nicholas Malendowski, Assistant Director of the Honors College, played a role in mobilizing students interested in health-focused majors to support bone marrow drives. He remarked, “The students decided to create a student organization after the Gift of Life organization reached out for help. I agreed to serve as the organization’s advisor.”

Berhanu plans to expand the club's influence by recruiting campus ambassadors and organizing events like swabbing drives and informational campaigns. She stated, “We’re excited to grow a larger, engaged community at EMU, and we’re ready to make a lasting impact this semester.” Berhanu emphasized that involvement with Gift of Life offers both community service opportunities and skill development through leadership.

The initiative also seeks to diversify the bone marrow registry by involving more EMU students. Statistics from the Institute for Justice highlight disparities in donor match probabilities among different ethnic groups.

The EMU community is encouraged to participate in donor registration on November 21st at Pray-Harrold Hall. Students interested in joining can contact Nick Malendowski via email.

Eastern Michigan University was established in 1849 and serves nearly 13,000 students across various disciplines. The university is recognized for its academic excellence and diversity.