Lockheed Martin Corporation has partnered with Be The Match to enable patients to continue receiving life-saving transplants without interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring the timely delivery of bone marrow and blood stem cells for transplant, Lockheed Martin reported on Thursday.
"The incredible support from Lockheed Martin is a lifeline to our patients. For those awaiting bone marrow transplant, their very survival depends on the on-time delivery of these life-saving cells. By offering flight services, Lockheed Martin is helping us ensure that patients can continue the cells they need, exactly when they need them," said NMDP/Be The Match Chief Policy Officer Brian Lindberg.
With Lockheed Martin’s donation of the company’s corporate aircraft, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match was able to support the federal government's COVID-19 response and relief efforts and ensure patients that life-saving products from European donors would arrive on time.
Under the partnership, Lockheed Martin will provide weekly air transport based on government medical need. The company will fly government medical teams to the most critical, high-priority locations around the country. In addition, Lockheed Martin will transport materials to support bone marrow transport to help with the government's COVID-19 response.
In addition to matching donors and patients, one of the program's primary missions is coordinating the delivery of bone marrow domestically and internationally to patients in the United States and abroad.
Marillyn Hewson, CEO, chairman and president of Lockheed Martin and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient, recently released the company’s efforts to remediate the effects of the global pandemic. In April 2020, Hewson noted that Lockheed Martin has projected that it will be able to flow down over $450 million in accelerated payments to its supply chain partners.
The funding will support those who are critical to supporting the economy and national security. Lockheed will continue its work with the Department of Health and Human Services and provide air transport of government medical teams to the most critical, high-priority locations around the country. The company also pledged $10 million in charitable contributions for COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts.
The company has donated $2 million to Project HOPE to help deliver personal protective equipment to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for distribution to America's doctors, nurses, and first responders. Lockheed also donated $2 million to the American Red Cross to support military personnel, veterans, and families and $2 million to the CDC Foundation All of Us to combat Coronavirus emergency response fund.
“As we continue to face this unprecedented crisis, Lockheed Martin is driven by our commitment to the mission of our U.S. and allied customers. We will continue to maintain our operations for our men and women in uniform and we are resolved to find additional ways to contribute to the relief and recovery from COVID-19,” Hewson noted.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 110,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
