Hornets vs. Cancer students rally community to boost bone marrow registry

Contributed by Hornets vs. Cancer Club

Last year, high school students from Reston and Herndon formed a club with a mission: raise awareness and support for people impacted by cancer.

Hornets vs. Cancer has partnered with two Reston-based nonprofits—the Barnett-Searing National Cancer Foundation and Hopecam—on projects that include assembling care packages for women undergoing cancer treatment and creating cards of encouragement for children with cancer.

“I joined the cancer club because strength grows when people stand together,” club member Xavier Carter said. “If they can be brave every day, the least I can do is stand beside them.”

The club’s newest campaign focuses on raising awareness and funds for bone marrow donor

registration through NMDP, formerly known as Be the Match.

For many patients with blood cancers, a bone marrow transplant offers the best chance for survival. But finding a compatible donor can be difficult. Donors must be between ages 18 and 35 because younger donors typically provide better outcomes for patients. That limited age range makes high school and college students especially important to the registry.

Students also aim to dispel outdated misconceptions. Bone marrow donation is not the major surgery many people remember from decades past. In most cases today, doctors collect stem cells through a process similar to donating blood. Joining the registry begins with a simple cheek swab, takes only minutes and costs nothing—but it can one day save a life.

The club encourages community members, 18 and older, to join the registry and invites those younger than 18 to pre-register to receive a reminder on their 18th birthday.

“My mom’s best friend (Lisa Langer) has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant to save her life,” said club president Max Fox. “When I learned how simple it is to join the registry, I knew other students would want to step up.”

Lisa Langer has been active in the Reston community and Herndon Middle and Herndon High PTAs for many years, and after her diagnosis, the club’s mission has become even more personal as they’ve learned from her experience.

“Being told you have leukemia makes everything else fade away. You immediately start thinking about your family, your future, and whether there will be a cure,” Langer said. “For many of us, a bone marrow transplant is the only thing that can save our lives.”

Members of the club are now working with renewed urgency to help find a donor match for the mother of a classmate.

Community members who would like to support the students’ efforts can learn more at

https://fundraise.nmdp.org/participant/HornetsvsCancer/