Be The Match - Bone Marrow Donation Thread

socal78

socal78

Well-known member
I want to create a thread about bone marrow donation because it is something so simple you can do to save someone's life. A lot of people are not aware that there is a person, even a small child, facing death right now who needs their help. That person may be their only hope. A simple cheek swab is all you have to do to get started.

Go here to find out how =====> Be The Match

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My first brush with a cancer of the blood was when I was about 5-6 years old. My best friend, a little boy who lived next door, got leukemia. He suffered horrendously. He lost a lot of weight. His belly became very distended. His hair fell out from the chemo. His parents heard carotene might help. They gave him so much that his skin turned orange. When he was too weak to play with me, he would sit in a radio flyer red wagon and let me pull him around the neighborhood. He wore his dad's big, oversized hat to cover protect his bald scalp from the sun. There was no match. He died when we were 7.

Around 2009, I believe, the Orange County Register ran an article about a 2 year old little boy in north O.C. also with leukemia. His name is Brayden and this is their blog: Brayden's Battle A bone marrow drive was being held in his name. They hoped to find a match for him. If not for him, for anyone else desperately waiting. Myself and Mr. SoCal drove up there to get swabbed in person. Although not perfect, Brayden got a pretty close match. He is currently in remission. He's finally out of the hospital, at home, and doing well. They have to wait longer before they can call him "cured" but so far, so good...




 
Years have gone by for Mr. SoCal and I now with no notice that there is someone who we are a good match for. (I believe the same is true for you, CZ.)

However, I was recently reminded to post here because I have received an email from Be the Match which Mr. SoCal did not get. It said they have been working on my DNA and realized it has a very specific tissue type (what they call HLA) - something like a 1 in a million chance of another person on the registry with it. They wanted me to provide more info and renew my commitment since it would be more important than ever if I get that call. Any person matched with me would basically have no help except mine. Wow. Of course, I renewed and gave them more info (they may ask you a bunch of ancestry questions. I don't understand why mine is rare. They say specific HLAs are usually from indigenous populations from relatively isolated areas. I am not "indigenous" like some kind of tribe from the jungle you'd imagine. DNA can just cause certain traits to pop up, though.)

I figure this means I'll either NEVER be called because -- what are the chances someone with my tissue type would get blood cancer? Or, I'll be called... it could even be for somebody who is not yet born... and we will definitely go full speed ahead. I'm ready for that!
 
So, here is where YOU come in.

If you are an Asian reading this, your help is needed. If you're South Asian, this means you.

Here is a copy & paste from BTM which explains:

Q: Does race or ethnicity affect matching?

A: Racial and ethnic heritage are very important factors. Patients are most likely to match someone of their own race or ethnicity. Today, there simply aren't enough registry members of diverse racial and ethnic heritage. Adding more diverse members increases the likelihood that all patients will find a life-saving match.
Members of these backgrounds are especially needed:

> Black or African American
> American Indian or Alaska Native
> Asian, including South Asian
> Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
> Hispanic or Latino
> Multiple race

FAQs
 
Cubic Zirconia said:
No call yet.. Except for one Indian friend in US, haven't heard of anybody else getting the call.
I really wish I do though.
Click to expand...

Was your friend able to donate? Any news on the recipient?

Same here. I pray I can be a good match for someone against the staggering odds. It would truly be a miracle from God! I hope, I hope. There can be nothing more painful for someone than watching their child suffer and die while waiting. 
 
SoCal said:
Cubic Zirconia said:
No call yet.. Except for one Indian friend in US, haven't heard of anybody else getting the call.
I really wish I do though.
Click to expand...

Was your friend able to donate? Any news on the recipient?

Same here. I pray I can be a good match for someone against the staggering odds. It would truly be a miracle from God! I hope, I hope. There can be nothing more painful for someone than watching their child suffer and die while waiting. 
Click to expand...

Yes, she donated. She had a recent update that the kid is doing well now..
She had a series of FB updates through out the process, from the day she was chosen.

Me too SoCal- just hope I can donate it once in my life.. Does anyone here donate blood? I haven't been able to. Either I just traveled overseas, or I end up with flu right at the donation/drive time. Never been a right time/ moment for blood donation.
 
Cubic Zirconia said:
Yes, she donated. She had a recent update that the kid is doing well now..
She had a series of FB updates through out the process, from the day she was chosen.
Click to expand...

Very cool! What a blessing.
 
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