‘Hero Gum’ Turns Chewing Into A Life-Saving Act—Here’s How It Works

Doublemint has partnered with Gift of Life Marrow Registry and Labcorp, a leading laboratory services company, to introduce Hero Gum, the first-ever gum brand to include a blood donor registration kit. 

Hero Gum aims to make donating more accessible to a younger, more diverse range of people. When chewed, it captures viable samples of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) in just 5 minutes, providing a seamless way to join the donor registry. Here are some unsettling facts about the need for improved donor availability:

• Every three minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with blood cancer.
• Around 20,000 Americans need a stem cell or marrow transplant each year.
• Only 30% of patients find a match within their families. The remaining 70% rely on strangers through donor registries.

“For decades, we’ve worked to make joining the registry more accessible—and Hero Gum is one of our most creative approaches yet,” said Marti Freund, COO at Gift of Life Marrow Registry. “By turning something as familiar as chewing gum into a potential life-saving act, we’re introducing a fresh, engaging way to connect with younger communities and expand the diversity of our donor base. At its core, this campaign is about broadening awareness and saving more lives.” 

Hero Gum kits were designed to be safe, non-invasive, and easy to distribute. Now available for purchase at https://www.giftoflife.org/herogum.