Calendar of
Upcoming Donor Recruitment Drives
NASCAR Foundation Blood & Marrow Drive on Monday, Sept.
11.
Saving Lives Campaign Goal to Recruit 1000 new Donors
In memory of Rajan, who
Transplant Survivor thanks his
Azia searched for a
searched for an Asian
Hispanic Donor for giving him
Caribbean Donor.
Indian Volunteer Donor,
LIFE!
Be A Life-Saving Donor!
Unite, Commit, SAVE LIVES... Become a
Marrow Donor
Testing to become
a potential donor just got simpler. no longer are blood test
necessary to identify a donor. now a simple cotton tip swab to
the inner cheek will identify a compatible match for a patient whose life
is depending on receiving a marrow or blood stem cell transplant!
find out more...
IT DOESN'T HURT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MARROW & STEM CELL
DONATION
Kids Beating Cancer, Inc. is one of 9
contracted Marrow Donor Recruitment Groups for the National Marrow Donor
Program, (NMDP), nationwide, and the only organization of its kind in the State
of Florida. Through community outreach and education on the need for and
process of marrow and blood stem cell donation, patients with life-threatening
diseases are given a second chance at life and the hope of a cure.
Additional Information:
Marrow &
Stem Cell Donation Procedure
Hosting A Donor Recruitment Drive
Commonly Asked Questions
What is Acute Lymphocetic
Leukemia
What is Acute Myelogenous
Leukemia
What is Chronic Myelogenous
Leukemia
What is
Myelodysplastic Syndrome
What is Aplastic
Anemia
What is Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Diseases treated by a
Marrow or Blood Stem Cell Transplant
African American
Donor Recruitment Campaign
Hispanic Donor
Recruitment Campaign
Fundraising For Donor
Testing Costs
Patient & Donor Stories
Media Alerts
History of
Marrow & Blood Stem Cell Transplants
How to Donate your
Baby's Umbilical Cord
Confirm you are on the Registry
Choosing a Transplant Center
What are stem cells?
There are many sources of stem cells in our bodies. The stem cell
transplant patients need to make healthy new marrow, or blood forming stem
cells. These are the immature cells that can develop into any of the cells
present in the bloodstream: or red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
What is marrow?
Marrow is found in the cavities of the body's bones. It resembles blood
and contains stem cells, which produce red blood cells, white blood cells and
other blood components.
Who can be a donor?
If you are between the ages of an 18 and 60 and in general good health you can
become a volunteer stem cell donor. Exclusions are asthma, diabetes not diet
controlled, any heart disease, cancers except cervical and basal cell skin
cancer, any lung, blood, or immune system diseases. (anything that would put you
at risk under general anesthesia or put the patient at risk)
Who needs a transplant?
Marrow and stem cell transplantation is a proven cure for patients with
approximately 72 different life-threatening blood diseases.
Who needs an un-related volunteer donor?
Only 30 percent of the patients who need a marrow or stem cell transplant find a
donor in the family.
The National Marrow Donor Registry is searched over 4000 times a day for
patients in need of an unrelated marrow donor. Presently almost 5 million
volunteers have joined the National Registry in hopes of one-day matching a
patient in need, by taking a simple blood test. Of the 5 1/2 million, over
20,000 have donated a small amount of their stem cells, allowing total strangers
a second chance at life.
Who pays for the donor?
All medical costs associated with marrow and blood stem cell donation are
charged to the recipient or the recipient's insurance company. The cost of
the initial HLA Lab test during a marrow recruitment drive is never covered by
the patient's health insurance and must be raised by Kids Beating Cancer through
individual contributions and grants. In
addition, National Marrow Donor Program and The Marrow Foundation assist with
limited Donor Testing and Recruitment Awareness Costs.
Why is there an emphasis on recruiting people of diverse
heritages and ethnic groups?
Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) are markers on the white blood cells.
These antigens are inherited characteristics, just like our skin tone or eye
color. A marrow or stem cell donor will more than likely be of the same
racial background as the patient who is searching.
There is a critical need to recruit more volunteers of diverse heritage to add
new HLA typings not presently on the National Registry. People of diverse
heritages have a decreased change of identifying perfect matches because most
people are not aware of the need and the safe process of donating life.
