Fear of losing jobs halts bone marrow donations — Congress can help

All of us at National Marrow Donor (NMDP)/Be The Match were thrilled when the Life Saving Leave Act (H.R. 3024) was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The new legislation would provide basic job protections for bone marrow and blood stem cell donors who want to help save a life. 

As I took in the big moment, I found my thoughts drifting back to Airman Troy Hartman, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia about eight months ago. With more than 90 percent of his blood cells cancerous, a bone marrow transplant was Troy’s only chance for survival, and he needed it as soon as possible. 

Miraculously, Troy learned over the holidays that he had a solid match, but there was a problem. The donor had to decline because he was told he wouldn’t be guaranteed a job when he returned to work. “We were shocked that someone could lose their job for trying to save a life,” Troy told us.  

At NMDP, we weren’t nearly as surprised. Roughly half of the donors matched with patients who need a marrow or blood stem cell transplant will decline, far too often because doing so might cost their jobs. 

Supporting bone marrow donors is a top priority for National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match, where we oversee the nation’s registry for matching unrelated bone marrow donors. A bone marrow transplant can be the only, or last, treatment option for patients suffering from blood cancer or blood disease, so they hope we can find them a potential donor who matches their genetic profile and will say, “Yes.”   

That’s why it’s so important for Congress to support the Life Saving Leave Act. The bill would simply amend the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow the same job protections for marrow and blood stem cell donors that are already given to those who are donating kidneys or other organs.  

If approved, a donor would be allowed to take up to 40 hours of nonconsecutive, unpaid leave to donate bone marrow or blood stem cells to a patient hoping for a second chance at life. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Reps. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) will have little to no costs for the federal government or employers.  

Further, the Life Saving Leave Act does not require employers to pay their employees when they donate. It would merely ensure the donor’s job would be protected while they are involved in the donation process.  

Each year, fewer than 10,000 potential donors get the call — each call represents the chance to help save a patient’s life. Some states offer job protections for donors who want to accept; other states don’t. That’s why we need a uniform, national policy. 

Without national donor leave protections, patients like Troy may lose out on vital, life-saving treatment. Less than a year ago, Troy was still on active duty at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, having served for 21 years. Quickly, his condition deteriorated; his body was weak.  

Troy recognized that he was running out of options. So, he accepted a marrow donation from his son, who was not his doctor’s first choice for a donor. Today, Troy is slowly recovering. He’s hopeful, but he is also frustrated that his best match couldn’t help. He doesn’t want anyone else to miss out on their best chance for recovery. 

“You might just have one matched donor,” Troy said. “If that person says, ‘No’ because they can’t get off work, you’d lose your only chance and hope to survive.” 

He’s so right. Answering the call to save a life should never put someone’s job at risk. That is why Congress must pass the Life Saving Leave Act as soon as possible, so we can save more lives in the future.  

Amy Ronneberg is chief executive officer of National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match, an organization of more than 1,200 professionals and 3,000 volunteers, fighting so all people, irrespective of background, get the cell therapy they need.