Released on = February 22, 2007, 5:13 pm

Press Release Author = Arti Shah

Industry = Healthcare

Press Release Summary = Matchpia.org, the largest corporate social responsibility
initiative undertaken in India, with its primary focus to promote the importance of
educating and recruiting individuals to becoming "lifesaving" bone marrow and stem
cell donors, has recently taken its efforts to creating the first operational and
robust "unrelated" donor registry in India.

Press Release Body = New York (02/22/07) - Named "Project India", this initiative
launched into high gear in India this January, in creating the Pune-based (NGO)
United South Asian Donor Registry/Matchpia (USADR). Working in partnership with
senior leaders in the top corporations like Microsoft, Oracle, Genpact Infosys,
Polaris, Larsen & Toubro InfoTech, Manhattan Associates, I-Flex, Lucent and other IT
companies in India, over 4,100 donors were recruited in three weeks from six genetic
regions of India (Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi and Kolkata), making
this the largest humanitarian genetic campaign in India and around the world.

"We are raising the bar of these top international companies to execute and
demonstrate their commitment to Social Responsibility," added Tim Dutta, Executive
Director of Matchpia and USADR. The campaign has been well accepted in India, and
the roster of companies keeps growing in size, as does the team of volunteers who
have joined the campaign to help save the lives of all South Asian cancer patients
in need of a genetic donor match.

"For the last three years of our campaign in the US, we observed the notion that if
you educate humanity, humanity will rise to the occasion. Indeed that was very
relevant and demonstrated through our effort in India," explained Tim, "It no longer
mattered whether you were a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian, or Jewish, nor did it
matter if you a male or female, everyone came together to save humanity." Volunteers
of this campaign consist of many individuals from all walks of life in India,
ranging from graduates from the top universities in India (Indian Institute of
Technology, Indian Institute of Management, Indian School of Business and others),
to everyday professionals and homemakers wanting to champion this cause to save
lives.

Since coming back to the states, the demand for Project India is growing bigger and
bigger everyday. "In looking back in hindsight, I often think about how, I would
have never known about the importance of raising the awareness of this cause if it
wasn't for Pia,\" says Hemant Wadhwani Executive Director of United Community
Development Corporation and supporter of the Matchpia campaign. "It's amazing to see
the patient needs that exist in India for people with leukemia and blood related
cancers. Everywhere we went, our team was contacted by strangers to help with
friends or family members that are suffering from a blood-related disease and in of
a the donor match. The need and demand for this type of medical service in India is
very evident."

"Still there is much work ahead to ensure the USADR continues to grow in a manner
that conforms to US and international standards. The future of USADR does look very
promising and we are all empowered and inspired by all the work that Matchpia has
done in the US to help the South Asian community. This 'Noble' cause is spreading
like wildfire throughout the country, everyone is talking about this 'buzz' to save
humanity," said Prayank Swaroop, a product specialist at Adobe Software and project
lead for USADR in India.

About Matchpia:

Matchpia.org was formed to provide South Asian and all ethically diverse communities
an equal access to a diversified pool of lifesaving stem cell donor matches, while
at the same time increasing donor education, recruitment, retention and patient
advocacy. This is achieved by providing various community outreach initiatives, and
focusing on the importance of being committed and available we called upon for
patients in need of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. Although this campaign
started to help find one woman a match (Pia Awal), it instantly catapulted to saving
lives of other South Asian and ethnically diverse (minority), patients that needed
lifesaving stem cell transplants.

About United South Asian Donor Registry (USADR):

USADR was formed as a result of the many South Asian patients in search of a
life-saving donor match. A spin-off of Matchpia, the registry is the first
operation unrelated donor registry in India, providing genetic representation of
nine regions of India. With a seasoned leadership team of entrepreneurs and
medical professional, USADR will allow all South Asian patients in India and around
the world a greater chance at life.


Web Site = http://www.matchpia.org

Contact Details = Arti S. Shah, Communications Lead: arti@matchpia.org (US)
Tim Dutta, Executive Director: (US)
Prayank Swaroop, Project Lead India: (India)
Phone: (877) 206-8800, Fax: (973) 686-9233

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