Needle-Free Marrow Donor Registration Opportunity

From an announcement I received via email:

"Come be a part of the Thanks Mom! Marrow Donor Recruitment Drive and help offer someone the living gift of life on Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hospital Hospitality House, 214 Reidhurst Avenue (behind Logan’s off Elliston Place).

The drive will be the first time the buccal swab, a quick q-tip swab inside the cheek, will be introduced in the Midstate as an alternative method for tissue typing.

The event is being held in honor of two Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital patients – Stefany, 7, and Emarie, 3, Williams. In 2004 Stefany received a cord blood transplant for treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). Now her sister requires a transplant in hopes of curing her MDS.

More than 35,000 children and adults are diagnosed with life-threatening blood disorders every year. For many of these patients, a bone marrow transplant is the only chance for survival.

For more information call Jessica Pasley at 500-3531 or the Hospital Hospitality House at 329-0477."

The Vanderbilt Reporter also has a story on the event and how it may help increase the number of registered donors. See this previous post for a list of online information resources on bone marrow donation.