“Good Morning America” holds bone marrow drive honoring Robin Roberts, USC participates in live broadcast

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) —It’s been 10 years since ABC’s own Robin Roberts returned to Good Morning America after a life-saving bone marrow transplant.

To mark the anniversary, GMA hosted a nationwide bone marrow drive, and University of South Carolina got in on the action.

USC’s cheerleaders, dance squad, band, and Cocky took part in Good Morning America’s live broadcast this morning — alongside the events host called “Be The Match.”

The “Be The Match” event is part of a nationwide bone marrow drive.

Roberts not only survived breast cancer, she also survived a rare blood disease known as myelodysplastic syndrome.

In an effort to find bone marrow matches for others, Maeve Kelley and her “Be The Match” team at USC are encouraging students to swab their cheeks.

“We’re the most diverse marrow registry, so we’re trying to get even more diversity because it increases your odds exponentially if there are more people of your ethnicity in the drive,” Kelley says.

Be The Match’s South Carolina Account Manager, Amy Schatz, says getting tested could save someone’s life.

“It means everything to these families when we find matches, it’s not just impacting the patient’s life and providing them with a cure but obviously their parents, their families, and their friends,” Schatz says.

And, Schatz says, that life could be anywhere in the world.

“We facilitate transplants in the United States and we’re a cooperative international registry. So you can join in the United States and be a match for someone anywhere in the world and we will facilitate that transplant and fly your cells wherever they need to go to save someone’s life,” Schatz says.

“Be The Match” will also be at USC’s Russell House on Wednesday, February 22, and will hold an event early this Spring.