ST. LOUIS, Mo., August 24, 2021 – For the sixth consecutive year, the St. Louis Cardinals, in conjunction with the St. Louis Baseball Writers and Be The Match, will host the #Join4Joe marrow donor drive to add individuals to the Be The Match national registry and increase the chances of finding a donor match for those awaiting a life-saving blood stem cell transplant.

This year, to help further the work of Be the Match and in support of the Strauss family in their efforts to save lives, fans can purchase tickets to the September 8 game and $5 of each ticket will be donated to Be the Match to support patient services. The Cardinals encourage fans to visit cardinals.com/join4joe to purchase tickets and sign up to become a marrow donor. Fans can also visit the #Join4Joe tables in Ford Plaza on September 8 to learn more about how to become a donor.

“We are thrilled to be returning to Busch Stadium for our sixth annual #Join4Joe event this year,” said MLB.com executive editor Jenifer Langosch, speaking on behalf of the St. Louis Baseball Writers chapter. “Through this initiative, Cardinals fans have an opportunity to step up as a potential life-saving match for those who are battling leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers. The event is especially meaningful to members of our Baseball Writers chapter, as it is also an opportunity for us to honor our late colleague and friend, Joe Strauss, by helping educate others on the Be The Match mission that was so important to him.”

“My father can never be replaced, but for one day each year, we have the opportunity as a community to come together, help those who are battling leukemia and other blood diseases, and honor his memory with others who have become an extension of our family,” said Alexis Strauss, Joe’s daughter. “The growth #Join4Joe has experienced over the past six years has amazed all of us who have been involved with the event. While the cause is so personal to us, we have seen how others' lives have been touched through their own experiences with cancer and other blood diseases. We appreciate the St. Louis community's support and are very excited to raise awareness for Be The Match in honor of someone many of us love and dearly miss.”

The event was organized to honor the legacy of Joe Strauss, who covered the Cardinals for 14 years at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and passed away in December 2015 at the age of 54 after a courageous battle fighting leukemia. The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to annually partner with the St. Louis Baseball Writers and Be The Match to sponsor this event in Joe’s name. Through the #Join4Joe drive, nearly 300 potential donors have joined the registry since 2016.

With more than 37 million potential blood stem cell donors, the Be The Match Registry® is the most diverse donor registry. Seventy percent of patients needing a transplant will not have a family member match and therefore rely upon Be The Match to find one. Approximately 12,000 people remain in need of an unrelated donor each year. Be The Match is specifically looking for donors age 18-44, as research shows that cells from younger donors lead to more successful transplants.

“At Be The Match we know how overwhelming and uncertain this present moment can be, but it is also a moment where we see people continue to step up and register to save a life,” said Erica Jensen, SVP of Member Engagement, Enrollment and Experience at Be The Match. Together we can support patients and honor Joe and his legacy.”

Fans can learn more about the #Join4Joe drive and join Be The Match by requesting a cheek swab kit anytime at cardinals.com/join4joe.