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Dr.
Elie Katz, Ph.D., D.Sc.
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| Community
Blood Services (CBS) has renamed one of its most important programs
after Dr. Elie Katz, a trailblazer in advocating the collection of
umbilical cord blood for use in the treatment of various life-threatening
diseases and the founder of the New Jersey HLA Registry. |
| During
a reception held on September 7, 2001 Dr. Dennis Todd, president and
CEO of the blood center, read from a board of trustees resolution
that stated, "In recognition of the long-standing commitment of Elie
Katz, Ph.D., D. Sc. to the worldwide transplant program...the Board
of Trustees hereby authorizes the blood center's cord blood program
to be renamed the Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program." |
| Members
of the medical and corporate communities, hospitals, government, and
local organizations attended the reception. |
| Dr.
Todd called Elie Katz a "visionary." He noted that Dr. Katz was instrumental
in the development and growth of the blood center's umbilical cord
blood program. |
| "He
was among the first to advocate for the collection and preservation
of umbilical cord blood to help people undergoing aggressive cancer
treatment, " said Dr. Todd. |
| Umbilical
cord blood is rich in stem cells, which are often damaged or destroyed
during chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Stem cells from umbilical
cord blood, if harvested, can be transplanted into patients, giving
their bodies the opportunity to replenish the lost or damaged cells. |
| During
his remarks, Dr. Arnold Rubin, chairman of Community Blood Services'
Board of Trustees, said Dr. Katz is a man who will not take "no" for
an answer. |
| "He
gave up everything to find a bone marrow donor for his son," said
Dr. Rubin. "He found out what it takes to find a donor and then created
a registry to make it easier for cancer patients to do the same." |
| Dr.
Rubin noted that in the past it was difficult to find matching bone
marrow donors. "Thanks to Elie Katz, today that is no longer the case,"
he added. |
| Senator
Louis F. Kosco presented Dr. Katz, who was accompanied by his wife
Monique, his son Jerome, and daughter-in-law Lauren, with a proclamation
from the New Jersey Legislature. In addition, Dr. Katz received numerous
congratulatory letters from area corporations and organizations, such
as the National Bone Marrow Program. |
| In
1986, Dr. Katz founded the HLA Registry, the first voluntary donor
center in the United States. Today the HLA Registry is the largest
voluntary bone marrow registry in the country with 187,000 donors.
The registry is also affiliated with the National Marrow Donor Program,
which includes 4.5 million voluntary donors, and Bone Marrow Donors
Worldwide, with 6.5 million voluntary donors. |
| Dr.
Katz is also the president of The National HLA Fund, Inc., a foundation
that helps uninsured patients in need of bone marrow transplants. |
| � |
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Elie
Katz, Ph.D., D.Sc. and Zbigniew Roger Mrowiec, Ph.D. recently
dedicated the new Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program at
Community Blood Services with a bronze plaque in Dr. Katz' honor.
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The
Elie Katz cocktail reception for the The Elie Katz Umbilical Cord
Blood Program was
held at the Sheraton Crossroads in Mahwah, NJ.Fri.,
Sept. 7 from 5:30-7:30 pm
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