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Bill honors the late Jaden Hilton, 3, of New Jersey

Gov. Chris Christie Wednesday signed Jaden's Law, a measure designed to save lives by promoting bone marrow donation awareness in New Jersey.

The bill was inspired by the case of Jaden Hilton, a 3-year-old New Jersey boy who lost his battle with Leukemia in 2007 after a suitable bone marrow match could not be located.

"Bone marrow donation is a critical need that deserves the same attention and level of awareness that other lifesaving donor programs, such as blood, organ and tissue donation, currently have in our society," Christie said at a bill-signing ceremony at the Statehouse. "I am pleased to sign this legislation to honor the memory of Jaden Hilton and encourage the public to learn more about the donation process, sign up with the registry and save lives."

Under the new law, the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is required to develop an online brochure that outlines options to patients for becoming a bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donor, including registration with the National Marrow Donor Program. The brochure, which will be displayed on the department's website, will also answer common questions about bone marrow and blood stem cell donation.

"With the enactment of Jaden's law, DHSS will have additional resources to save lives by working with the provider community to educate the public on the vital need for donors,'' Commissioner Poonam Alaigh said. "I commend the incredible efforts of the entire Hilton family for their work on behalf of those who are waiting for these life-saving transplants."

Bone marrow transplants offer lifesaving treatments for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and many other diseases. However, about 70 percent of the patients have no matching donor within their family. Minorities face even more limited prospects of finding a matching donor because so few are represented in the national registry, according to the National Marrow Donor Program.

"There's simply no words to express the despair a parent goes through in losing a child at such a young age," Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), a co-sponsor of the bill, said. "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."

"Education is our best tool in encouraging new donors to give the gift of life for someone in need," said Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), another co-sponsor, said. "By creating a public outreach campaign to underscore the importance of marrow and blood stem cell donations, particularly among people who are currently underrepresented in the national marrow donor registry, we can hopefully give many people a second lease on life. I applaud Jaden's family members and friends, who have turned personal tragedy into public service for people battling blood diseases."

The other sponsors of the bill, S-2038, are Assemblywomen Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) and Annette Quijano (D-Union).

The law takes effect in 3 months.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM