The local drive will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 2 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Nelson Hall East 113. It continues on Wednesday, Dec. 3 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Nelson Hall East 106.
“Thousands of patients with life-threatening diseases need transplants and do not find a donor in their family. We are encouraging local residents to come to the drive to learn how they could help save a life,” said Nyle Henderson, member of the Rotary Club of SW Eureka.
The characteristics that determine whether a patient and donor match are inherited, so the most likely match is with a sibling. However, 70 percent of patients will not find a suitable matching donor in their family.
These patients can turn to the volunteer marrow and blood cell adult donors and cord blood units listed on the NMDP Registry—the largest source for all types of blood and marrow cells available for unrelated transplants.
Although it is possible for a patient to match a donor from any racial or ethnic group, the most likely match is someone from a similar background. “More people from diverse backgrounds are needed on the NMDP Registry, so all patients in need can have a second chance at life,” said Jyl Barnett, HSU Service Learning Community Partner Liaison.
Each year, thousands of patients are diagnosed with life-threatening blood diseases such as leukemia. For a chance to survive, these patients need healthy marrow and blood cells to help their bodies make new, healthy marrow.
The first step to becoming a donor is to join the NMDP Registry. Anyone age 18 – 60 who meets the health guidelines can join.
Volunteers should be committed to helping any patient in need. To join, volunteers complete a short health questionnaire and sign a form stating that they understand what it means to be listed on the NMDP Registry. Then, a small swab of cheek cells is taken to determine the tissue type to be matched against patients who need a donor. This information is added to the NMDP Registry.
The NMDP facilitates unrelated marrow and blood cell transplants as the hub for a long-standing collaborative Network of national and international leading medical facilities in blood and marrow transplantation. The NMDP connects patients, doctors, donors and researchers to the resources they need to help more people live longer and healthier lives.
For more information about marrow and blood cell donation, contact the NMDP at 1-800-MARROW-2. Online information is available at www.marrow.org/thanks.