EMU Today

YPSILANTI—Honors College student and biology major Lidya Berhanu has combined her passion for stem cell research with the social cause of cell donation by forming the EMU Gift of Life club. Gift of Life is dedicated to registering potential donors who could help save the lives of those battling leukemia and other blood cancers. 

The club will host its first bone marrow drive on the EMU campus on Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. inside Pray-Harrold Hall.

As club president, Berhanu looks forward to serving the wider community and empowering others to join the national bone marrow registry. 

“For years, this organization has been a beacon of hope, offering life-saving treatments and giving the greatest gift of all—life itself. Participating in Gift of Life allows me to leave my mark, not just as a student but as someone contributing to a life-saving cause,” stated Berhanu.

Assistant Director of the Honors College Nicholas Malendowski reached out to Honors students pursuing health-focused majors about assisting the Honors College in hosting bone marrow drives on campus. In response, he discovered a group of students who were passionate about the program's mission. 

“The students decided to create a student organization after the Gift of Life organization reached out for help. I agreed to serve as the organization’s advisor,” commented Malendowski. 

Berhanu has officially registered the club and is looking to expand its reach by recruiting campus ambassadors and raising awareness through events such as swabbing drives and informational campaigns. 

“We’re excited to grow a larger, engaged community at EMU, and we’re ready to make a lasting impact this semester,” replied Berhanu. “Being involved with Gift of Life is not just an opportunity to help others, but also to learn and develop valuable skills through community building and leadership.” 

Berhanu is determined to diversify the bone marrow registry by adding EMU students to it. According to the Institute for Justice, Hispanic patients have a 48% chance of finding a donor match, Native American patients have a 60% chance of finding a match, and white patients have a 79% chance of finding a match.

All members of the EMU community are invited to stop by the donor registration table in Pray-Harrold on November 21st to become a potential donor. Students interested in joining EMU Gift of Life can contact Nick Malendowski at nmalendo@emich.edu.

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, EMU is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves nearly 13,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.