The Bruce Denniston Bone Marrow Society was established in 1988 after RCMP Constable Bruce Denniston was diagnosed with le​ukemia in 1987. His only hope for long term survival was a bone marrow transplant. None of his siblings were compatible donors, so an unrelated donor was sought.                                     Canada's unrelated bone marrow donor registry was in its infancy at the time and had few registered donors. Bruce’s colleagues in the RCMP, and the community of Powell River, BC rallied to his cause and spread the word about the need for donors, not only for Bruce but for all patients in similar circumstances. This led to a groundswell of initiatives across Canada. 

Although a donor match was eventually found for Bruce the disease had ravaged his body for too long and he was unable to recover from the transplant.

The Society continues to raise money to help the Registry find donor matches as quickly and effectively as possible. It also provides volunteer couriers to hospitals in Vancouver, Ottawa and Hamilton to bring back bone marrow and stem cells from within Canada and around the world for bone marrow/stem cell transplant patients. The Society is committed to helping save as many lives as possible, providing every man, woman and child needing a bone marrow transplant with hope for a second chance at life.​