Community
Posted: 09/03/2026
For 27 years, the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry has turned the gift of one person into the hope of another—and on Sunday, August 30, 2026, that life-saving mission was celebrated at the Registry’s 27th annual Match for Life Gala.
The evening brought together donors, volunteers, supporters, and community leaders to honor the extraordinary impact of the Registry and those who have helped sustain its mission. His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, attended the gala accompanied by the Rev. Fr. Nzhdeh Keshishyan.
In his invocation, Archbishop Derderian described the occasion as “an uplifting moment of prayer,” emphasizing that the Registry’s work reminds us of “the extraordinary difference and the visible miracle one human being can make in the life of another.”
“For 27 years, the Registry has carried forward a simple yet powerful mission: to give hope and to save lives,” the Archbishop said. Behind every donor registration, match, and transplant, he noted, is a human story—a patient hoping for another tomorrow, a family praying for healing, and a donor willing to give of themselves so that another person may live.
The Primate extended his heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Frieda Jordan, President of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, and to the organization’s leadership, staff, volunteers, donors, and supporters. He also recognized the Western Diocese’s longstanding partnership with the Registry and its commitment to this God-pleasing mission.
The gala honored John Thorrington, Co-President and General Manager of Los Angeles Football Club, with the Inspirational Award; Ara Soudjian, Man of the Year; Dr. Evelyn Baghdasraian, Woman of the Year; Karine Khudikyan, Lifetime Achievement Award; and Porto’s Bakery & Cafe, Business of the Year. The Year’s Volunteers were Emineh Hakopian, Metaksya Diremsizian, and Lori Mehdikhani.
The Priamte's words of gratitude were also extended to Dr. Sevak Avagyan, Executive Director of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry in Armenia, and Dr. Vicken Sepilian, the gala's Master of Ceremonies.
Concluding his invocation, Archbishop Derderian reminded those gathered that the greatest measure of the Registry’s work is found in “the lives it touches, the hope it restores and the families it helps keep together.” He prayed that God would continue to bless the Registry and all who support its sacred mission of giving hope and saving lives.
