ABMDR President to Receive St. Nerses the Graceful Medal
Dr. Frieda Jordan addressing the European Federation of Immunogenetics conference in Yerevan, November 2011.
5/6/2012
LOS ANGELES—Dr. Frieda Jordan, president of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, will be honored with the St. Nerses the Graceful (St. Nerses Shnorhali) Medal, which was bestowed on her by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
The medal, accompanied by a Pontifical Encyclical, will be presented to Dr. Jordan by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, on Sunday, July 8, upon the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, in Burbank, California.
The St. Nerses the Graceful Medal is being conferred on Dr. Jordan in recognition of her outstanding service to the Armenian nation since 1999. That year, Dr. Jordan co-founded the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR), in order to help Armenians worldwide survive life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting potential bone marrow donors, matching donors to those who require bone marrow transplants, and raising public awareness of critical health issues.
Archbishop Derderian, who had recommended to the Catholicosate to confer the St. Nerses the Graceful Medal on Dr. Jordan, said, “Dr. Jordan, along with ABMDR’s corps of selfless volunteers, has helped mobilize Armenian communities throughout the globe to advance the life-saving mission of the registry. Moreover, thanks to Dr. Jordan’s persistent efforts, the registry was able to establish a first-of-its-kind Stem Cell Harvesting Center in Yerevan, and last year Armenia became the first country in the Caucasus Region to host an international meeting of the European Federation of Immunogenetics. Given these accomplishments and the fact that she tirelessly helps expand the ranks of ABMDR, Dr. Jordan personifies the highest ideals of humanitarian service.”
After the Western Diocese announced that Dr. Jordan was to receive the St. Nerses the Graceful Medal, she stated, “This is an extraordinary honor, and one that I will cherish with the entire ABMDR family of volunteers and supporters.”
Dr. Jordan continued: “I convey my profound gratitude to His Holiness Karekin II as well as Archbishop Derderian, whose exceptional support of the registry is an ongoing source of inspiration for our entire community. By informing congregations about the ABMDR mission, highlighting our work during special Days of Prayer, encouraging us to make presentations before the public, and facilitating our recruitment efforts at Diocese churches, Archbishop Derderian continues to be a genuine pillar of our cause.”
The Divine Liturgy on July 8, starting at 10:30 a.m., will be celebrated by Rev. Father Khajag Shahbazyan, Pastor of St. Leon Cathedral. The church is located at 3325 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank.
About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999, ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps Armenians worldwide survive life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting and matching donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants. To date, the registry has recruited over 22,000 donors in 15 countries across three continents, identified 2,135 patients, and facilitated 13 bone marrow transplants.
For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
