ABMDR New England’s 14th annual walkathon draws community support
WATERTOWN, Mass. — On September 13, 2025, supporters from across New England gathered to participate in the 14th annual Walk of Life, organized by the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR). The pan-Armenian event drew students from area schools and colleges, and was supported by local organizations, businesses and community leaders.
Since its launch 14 years ago, Walk of Life New England has received support and sponsorship from several businesses, including PROMETRIKA, LLC, of Cambridge; the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; the Armenian Women’s Welfare Association; Watertown Savings Bank; the Armenian-American Pharmacists’ Association; ThermOil, Inc.; Suphi Furs; Anoush’ella; and the Varjabedian and Bedrosian families; as well as the Armenia Tree Project, Amaras Art Alliance, St. James Charles Mosesian Cultural and Youth Center, the Red Sox, New England Revolution, Northeastern Hockey, the Waverly Oaks Athletic Club and the Armenian Museum of America.
The walkathon’s opening ceremony took place on the grounds of the Charles Mosesian Center. Tamar Melkonian of the Walkathon Organizing Committee welcomed participants. “It’s inspiring to see so many individuals and community organizations come together for this walkathon,” she said. “Many of you have supported us since the very beginning, and we are deeply grateful. Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word among friends, families and colleagues. Your support makes this event possible.”
Melkonian also thanked St. James Armenian Apostolic Church, Pastor Arakel Aljalian and Yn. Natasha for generously hosting the start of the walkathon. She acknowledged Artemis Minassian, one of ABMDR’s earliest and most avid supporters, as the recipient of the ABMDR New England Volunteer of the Year Award.
The walk concluded at Saltonstall Park, where participants celebrated with music, dancing and food, alongside attendees of the annual Faire on the Square festival.
During the closing ceremony, Manneh Gazarians and Narini Badalian of the Walkathon Organizing Committee thanked the event’s sponsors for their continued support. They highlighted the logos and sponsor names on participants’ t-shirts, and presented the awards to top fundraisers.
Telo Ghazarians, Alec Der Sirakian and Sossy Yogurtian of the Armenian-American Pharmacists’ Association received the Gold, Silver and Bronze top-fundraiser awards, respectively. For the 13th consecutive year, the Armenia Tree Project will plant commemorative trees in Armenia in honor of the walkathon winners, as part of the #LivingCentury Initiative.
In an interview with Watertown Local Access TV covering the Faire, Tamar Melkonian and Shant Der Torossian of the Walkathon Organizing Committee spoke of the event’s vital role in raising public awareness of ABMDR’s life-saving mission.
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About the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Established in 1999, ABMDR is a nonprofit organization that helps Armenians and non-Armenians worldwide survive life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting and matching donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants. To date, the registry has recruited over 33,500 donors in 32 countries across four continents, identified over 9,000 patients and facilitated 44 bone marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
All photos are courtesy of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
