C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program

The C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program provides support to patients battling blood cancers and disorders by connecting them with unrelated bone marrow, blood cell or cord blood donors for potentially life-saving transplants. Since 1987, the Program has impacted nearly 150,000 lives. NMDP is proud to be one of the organizations entrusted to operate this Program.

In 1979, Laura Graves received the first unrelated bone marrow transplant for leukemia. Her parents wanted other families to have the same hope for a cure, so they set out to create a national marrow donor registry. Doctors, patient families and legislators answered the call.

The National Bone Marrow Donor Registry was launched in 1987 with congressional support from Congressman C.W. Bill Young and funding from the US. Navy. First housed in the Department of the Navy, the program found its permanent home at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2005, the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry became the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program.

The Program empowers young, healthy Americans to step up to save lives by donating their bone marrow or blood cells and help build a world where every patient can receive their life-saving transplant.

Since 2005, the Program has been reauthorized with bipartisan support from Congress every five years. The current statutory authority is set to expire at the end of September 2026.

The TRANSPLANT Act, enacted by Congress in 2021, is set to expire Sept. 30, 2026. NMDP is actively working with partner organizations to ask Congress to immediately reauthorize the Program to ensure continued access to life-saving transplants for patients nationwide.

Legislation to renew the program, The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2025, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representative by six bipartisan cosponsors in September 2025.

• Read the news release on the bill’s introduction
• Follow the bill’s progress

Ask Congress to save lives by continuing the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, otherwise known as the national registry, ensuring it can keep operating and serving the patients who rely on it for their life-saving unrelated bone marrow or blood cell donor.

In 2021, members of Congress passed the TRANSPLANT Act. This act reauthorizes the program for an additional 5 years.

Learn more about the current statutory authority:

• Read the 2020 testimony from NMDP before the Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing on Health.
• Read the 2020 Transplant Center coalition letter sent to U.S. Congress to urge passage of the TRANSPLANT Act.
• H.R. 2820, H.R. 1344 and H.R. 1462, June 25, 2015. Current Statutory Authority [42 U.S.C. § 274k-m]

You can help ensure the continuation of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program. Ask your elected officials to pass the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2025 immediately so patients can continue to receive life-saving transplants without delay.

Follow @NMDP_advocacy for updates on our legislative efforts, our public policy initiatives and additional ways to advocate for bone marrow and blood cell transplants in real time.