MINOT, N.D. – Collegiate athletics at Minot State is about more than just wins and losses on the courts and fields, and the Beaver football program is a prime example.

Looking to make a lasting impact beyond the game, Minot State's football players and coaches held their 2^nd annual registry drive for the National Marrow Donation Program (NMDP) earlier this month, exceeding their goal of 150 new potential donors being registered.

In two years of holding the registration drive, the Beavers have helped add more than 400 people to the NMDP registry and saved a life with a match following last year's registration drive.

"It is fulfilling knowing that there was a match made on campus that came out of our drive last year," Minot State's head football coach Ian Shields said. "We have a tremendous group of young men who have contributed time and effort in making this work here in Minot – a selfless group of young men who are committed to making a difference."

NMDP is a Minnesota-based nonprofit that operates the NMDP Registry, connecting patients in need of a blood stem cell or bone marrow transplant with matching volunteer donors. NMDP maintains one of the world's largest registries to help treat life-threatening blood cancers and disorders.

Beavers' assistant coach Skyler Cavanaugh, who joined the registry himself about 8 years ago, coordinated the two-day drive for Minot State this year, which drew potential donors not just from the football team, but the Minot State campus community, and Minot, as well.

"The event was great!" Cavanaugh said. "It was awesome seeing the Minot State community come together to help in the fight against cancer. If this is an event or cause that you fit the criteria and are interested in, I would encourage you to join."

Rachael Rich, Member Recruitment Coordinator for Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota, who helped coordinate the program with Minot State's football team, agrees.

"Anyone interested in seeing if they could be a match can register online and request a swab kit to be mailed to them," she said. "They can start the process here: my.nmdp.org/minotbeavers

"Joining the registry is simple," Rich added. "Potential donors ages 18 to 35 complete a brief online survey and a quick cheek swab. If matched with a patient, NMDP covers all travel costs for the donor and a companion. More than 90 percent of donations involve a blood stem cell collection similar to donating plasma, while fewer than 10 percent require a brief procedure to donate bone marrow."

"It has made a huge impact on the team," Cavanaugh said. "There are also a handful of athletes on the team whose lives have been affected by cancer, whether it was friends or family. We currently have an incoming freshman, who just signed on February 4, who was diagnosed and beat cancer during his high school career." 

The Beavers got involved with the program when Coach Shields was contacted and encouraged to be part of the program by coach Jason Eck, head football coach at the University of Idaho at the time.

"We then got in contact with the NMDP folks, found out more about this most important mission to beat cancer and save lives – it has been an awesome experience for our team to be a part of," Shields said.

"I especially want to thank coach Skyler Cavanaugh, who has really grabbed this by the horns on our staff, and all of the Beaver football players who have pushed to make a difference here in our community."

More about the NMDP and how the Registry works
"Patients work directly with their doctor," Rich said. "Once a transplant is confirmed as the best course of treatment, the medical facility accesses the registry to search for potential matches.

"For individuals currently battling a blood cancer or blood disease, NMDP also has a dedicated Patient Support team that offers a variety of services. They can be reached at 1-(888) 999-6743 or patientinfo@nmdp.org.

"Because registry members must be between ages 18 and 35, many recruitment events take place on college campuses," Rich added. "NMDP even has a program called "Get in the Game," which connects collegiate athletics programs with the mission. Since the program began, NMDP has partnered with more than 375 schools to host registry drives!"