Saturday, March 15, 2014

Bone Marrow Drives

I've been trying to finalize info about a bone marrow drive as quickly as possible to get the word out. However, I am now able to post about two bone marrow drives that will take place next month!

Date:  Sunday, April 6th
Time: 1:45pm - 4pm
Place: CNSCCC & Meadows Christian Fellowship Church
           2401 Kirchoff Rd.
           Rolling Meadows, IL  60008


Date: Sunday, April 6th (confirmed)
Time: 1:30pm-4pm
Place: North Shore Chinese Christian Church
           1250 Waukegan Rd
           Deerfield, IL 60015

We are looking for all donors between the ages of 18 and 44 to come out and join the registry! Please spread the word far and wide. We are making a special plea for all Asians willing to be a marrow donor! (Mixed heritage especially welcome!) Ethnicity and race play a factor in someone finding a match, so the more that join the registry, the more chances that someone like Ava will find a match!

(Data as of 2012): Out of 8 million people on the bone marrow registry, all Asian subgroups combined make up only 7% of the registry! Chinese make up about 1%, with Koreans less than 1%. Let's help to change those numbers!

Please note: joining the marrow registry means you are making yourself available to ANYONE in need of a match, not just Ava. We hope that if you are willing to donate to Ava, you would also be willing to donate to someone else. You can save a life!

This will also be added to the "Ways to Help" page for easy access. Feel free to ask any questions below. No fasting necessary, only a cheek swab is needed as a sample. If you are already on the bone marrow registry, great! No need to do another cheek swab - you are already in the system for anyone searching for a match. However, you can help by spreading the word and getting more participation. Thank you!

There are weight guidelines for joining the registry, and you will be screened for medical conditions that may affect your eligibility. Please check out the links to verify your eligibility, but feel free to contact me (Patty) at:with any questions.

Can't make it in person? No worries if you cannot physically attend either of these drives. You can join online! Just go to Be the Match and follow the directions.

Just a reminder that you can still participate in the Be the Match Walk/Run!

2 comments:

Hannah said...

Is there any way for someone under the age of 18 to join? Maybe not through the bone marrow drive but do you know if they can more directly through the organization?

jaemom said...

Hi, Hannah. Thanks for your heart to help. Donors must be 18 years of age. Because it is a voluntary choice to join the registry, you need to be 18 to give informed consent. This will be true even if you go directly through the organization, and parents cannot sign permission on behalf of a minor. However, you can help by spreading the word. Even if your friends may not be 18 now, getting the word out and spreading awareness of the need is a huge step toward other patients finding a potential match! Don't be discouraged by your age now, you still have the ability to make an impact! Let me know if you have any other questions. God bless!