Pittsfield Suns To Support Massachusetts Boy Who Needs A Matched Donor

The Pittsfield Suns are excited to announce a special partnership with Be The Match ® at their game on Saturday, July 17 vs. the Norwich Sea Unicorns.

Be The Match, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program, manages the most diverse marrow donor registry in the world. The organization facilitates thousands of transplants every year for patients battling blood cancers like leukemia, blood disorders, or genetic disorders for which transplant may be a cure.

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Be The Match is a cause that has held a special place in the heart of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. Bryce Linton, son of Worcester Bravehearts’ co-owner Julie Creedon-Linton, has Hyper IgM, which is an immunodeficiency disorder that prevents his body from fighting viruses or bacterial infections. Bryce needs a matched donor to donate blood stem cells to cure him of his diagnosis.

“We are proud to team up with Be The Match for this cause,” said Julie Creedon Linton. "Our hope for this partnership is to get people on the Registry so that the wait time for a donation is small for any family in need. We have been waiting over a year for our donor and maybe it could be someone from right here in Massachusetts that just hasn't registered yet.”

“Support from community members like the Suns is essential to raising awareness and funds for the Be The Match Registry and for all of our patients in need,” said Joy King, Chief Advancement Officer at the Be The Match Foundation. “We are so excited to be partnering with this team to let everyone know that they have the potential to be somebody's cure.”

Fans who would like to support the cause can also visit www.bethematchbryce.org to join the Be the Match Registry by requesting a simple swab kit at their homes. Guests at the Suns July 17th game can also join the Marrow Registry in-person by visiting the Be The Match booth.

About Be The Match®

For people with life-threatening blood cancers—like leukemia and lymphoma—or other diseases, a cure exists. Be The Match connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. People can contribute to the cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry®, financial contributor or volunteer.

Be The Match provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant. Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research through its research program, CIBMTR® (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research®), so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.