Friday, 16 October 2009

  • Would You Donate Bone Marrow?

    Will You Be The Match?



    I was recently asked by a friend to help get the word out about a friend who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. After a very difficult treatment regimen involving her own stem cell transplant at M.D. Anderson in Houston, Katie went into remission. Katie was set to celebrate her first anniversary of being cancer-free and was planned to walk in the "Light the Night Walk," the annual Leukemia & Lymphoma Society event to raise funds for lifesaving research. In a terrible twist of fate, when she went back to Houston last week for her physical, Katie found out that her cancer had returned.

    Now, she will now have to go through treatment all over again, only this time her doctors must turn to an unrelated donor match through the "Be The Match Registry" operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). But of the 13 million names of active donors worldwide, not one is a perfect match for her.

    Joining the registry is easy – complete a health history form and give a swab of cheek cells. Potential donors must be between 18 and 60, in good health and willing to donate to any patient. (To join online, visit http://join.marrow.org.) There is no cost to join, but financial contributions help cover the $100 it costs to add each new registry member, and participants are asked to give what they can.

    Have you ever had a friend or family member in this horrible position? If you have, you know how important it is to spread the word and awareness about becoming a match donor for a person in need.

    Please consider becoming a donor and saving a life. You can read more about her touching story on her blog at www.kancerclub.com.

    Are you a marrow donor? What would stop you from becoming one?

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Comments (10)

  • scrambledmegsntoast@xanga

    I am not. Doesn't it hurt a lot to have bone marrow taken? Not that it is what is holding me back.
  • repressedwriter@xanga

    I am on the registry! 

    @scrambledmegsntoast@xanga - The 'old' procedure that is shown above can be painful, but they do use anesthetic.  And now, for a lot of cases, they can do a procedure that is very similar to giving blood the normal way.  It's quite easy.  And if you are on the registry and are matched to someone in need- you can still say no.  The decision is always yours to make.
  • salvatruca_stalking_havok13@xanga

    I haven't donated bone marrow because I'm so fearful of the pain. That and the needles and just eep! Maybe I'll get up the courage to donate some one day, but in the mean time, I'll be a wimp and just donate my hair. Not much, but I'd like to think I'm warming myself up to help in better ways. 
  • whitetrashpoet@xanga

    I would love to be a marrow donor, but I have an undiagnosed medical condition and take narcotic pain medicine, so I'm not eligible at the moment.

    Whenever I get healthy, I will absolutely be a donor. You're anesthetized, it's nearly painless with a short recovery period, and your body regenerates the marrow within 6 weeks I think. Plus, it's not like you'll be donating marrow constantly. The few times you may be called on to do it may be the only thing between life and death for another person, and that's all it takes to convince me.
  • rachelawesome@xanga

    great topic!!!   way to get the word out...
  • cutesycharm@xanga

    To be as honest as possible, I'm too much of a pussy and too selfish. I would only donate to family or my boyfriend. I'm sorry, I know its horrible and I know have whats coming to me if I AM in need of marrow one day. But well..thats just how it is for me. 
  • Kaichiturtle@xanga

    I'm not allowed to give blood (I use to live in the uk) I wonder if I can donate bone marrow?
  • Erika_Steele@xanga

    I am on the list.  I actually got called once, but my son was still a baby and I was nursing him. 

  • ironic_vertigo@xanga

    I'm on the list! I would love to donate blood marrow! I donate blood regularly, already. But to help someone else out who really needs it? I hope I get called some day. :)
  • dr52383@xanga

    i've actually donated bone marrow. its not really that bad at all and i had it take out of my back area.  a little sore but if it can help someone else...why not?  totally worthwhile.

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