TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) and Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) to promote bone marrow and blood stem cell donation awareness was signed into law today by Governor Christie.
“Jaden’s Law” was named in honor of 3-year-old Jaden Hilton, a New Jersey boy who lost his battle with Leukemia on January 29, 2007 after he was unable to find a bone marrow match. None of his family members were matches and, because of the low number of minorities in the national registry, he was unable to find a match in the donor pool.
“There’s simply no words to express the despair a parent goes through in losing a child at such a young age,” said Senator Weinberg. “However, Jaden’s parents and the bill’s many supporters have used his passing as a way of rallying support for an outreach program which will help match donors to people in need and increase participation in marrow and blood stem cell donations. Through their advocacy, many, many people will hopefully be spared the same heartbreak that Jaden’s family has had to endure.”