Are you on this register?

[L Stegall]

Okay, I got an email from a high school friend whose older sister is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, so I'm just posting this in every place I can spread the word - please consider registering to be a donor if you have not already. I have been on this register for 7 years and, unfortunately, have never been a match, but it's one of those things where it only takes one person to make some magic happen. Talk about good karma and a random act of kindness to a stranger - you could actually save someone's life. Easy and painless to register - here's a link to the registry. Please consider joining, if you can: http://www.marrow.org/

Thanks,

L.

[popawalker]

Yes, good thing to be on, been on it since the late 90's.
Steve

[DeannaD]

I'm a long time member too. They've called me twice in the last 5 years when I was in final round being considered for a match, but I guess I haven't made the cut. I think it would be pretty cool to match a total stranger. I hope your friend's sister gets a match soon!

[CallMeAl]

I'm on the list and have been for many years. My brother was diagnosed with Leukemia several years ago. My other brother and I did not match him, but a complete stranger did. Thankfully, due to the kindness of that stranger, the bone marrow transplant my brother received saved his life! How awesome is that!!!

[L Stegall]

Wow - that is awesome Al !!!!! I hope that there will be an equally amazing result here. We'll see....................

Steve, Deanna, who knows, maybe one day we'll be a lucky match for someone. Thanks!

[popawalker]

We were blessed in that one of our daughters was a perfect match for her twin sister back in 97. All are still healthy to this day.
Steve

[sbp]

I just register

[L Stegall]

Thanks Sachin - way to go.


This is the last thing I'll post about this, but here's something from an email I got from one of my smart friends (PhD from Duke) and I thought it was interesting:

The database is not very diverse, so if you have any remote ethnic or geographic bias in your history, please especially consider getting in the database. So many different genetic markers have to match for a transplant to succeed that it is critical for the database to be as diverse as possible.

When I was in grad school at Duke, the Cancer Center put up a display of photos of all of the people that the hospital had saved by bone marrow transplants. It was incredible. To think that none of them would have made it without the databank or the donor is staggering.

Most patients are not matches because the database, while large, does not cover nearly enough people to be representative. Please consider getting typed and added to the system.

[Atfulldraw]

got added in '91, I think --



Now I'm wondering if my contact info is still good.......

[AllenAyres]

I'm on the list, I donated a few years back to a young girl in France whom I understand did well.

My nephew had leukemia at 15 months and we all joined the register. He never rec'd a transplant and has been in remission 13+ years now.

[MikeyG1965]

Been registered for a few years now and have had three calls.

The wife of a friend of mine in the Dallas area was on the list and ended up being a donor for a little girl from the east coast. That was about six years ago. The girl is now in high school and doing great.

[AllenAyres]

That's great Mike, it's good to remember we're the last hope for those who undergo a bone marrow transplant - it literally saves their life.

I attend 'donor banquets' occasionally for those who donate, we have a guy in our area who's matched 3 different people and been able to donate in each circumstance - that's like the chances of winning the lottery and being struck by lightning in the same minute.

[L Stegall]

Originally Posted by AllenAyres

That's great Mike, it's good to remember we're the last hope for those who undergo a bone marrow transplant - it literally saves their life.

I attend 'donor banquets' occasionally for those who donate, we have a guy in our area who's matched 3 different people and been able to donate in each circumstance - that's like the chances of winning the lottery and being struck by lightning in the same minute.

That guy really should buy lottery tickets! He has incredible karma.