Minneapolis resident Betsy Lucas was told that she only had three months to live after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2005. But thanks to a bone marrow transplant from a stranger in Germany, she received a second chance at life.

Last week, Lucas shared her story Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and other lawmakers in Washington D.C. hoping to inspire the continued support of Be The Match – the organization that helped save her life.

Every year, 10,000 patients in this country need a bone marrow or cord blood transplant from someone outside of their family, yet only half receive one. These patients depend on the Be The Match Registry to find a matched donor. Federal support and funding is critical for Be The Match to continue adding people to the registry and helping patients with uninsured treatment costs and expenses – giving more patients hope for a transplant.

Lucas also helped people join the national Be The Match registry at a donor registry drive on Capitol Hill as part of African American Bone Marrow Awareness Month.

To join the Be The Match Registry as a committed potential donor, visit www.BeTheMatch.org.