Philanthropy Friday #4

National Marrow Donor Program Be the Match Foundation: $10

Like I wrote before, I'd been on the Bone Marrow Donor Registry for years but had to go off when I went on insulin, because my health would be impacted should I be called to donate. They understandably take a conservative approach to ensure the health of donors as well as recipients.

But that doesn't mean I can't help in other ways. I'm in between paycheques this week so it's a small donation, but every little bit helps. This donation helps research, recruiting donors, and providing aid to patients who need help with medical expenses.

What could help even more is that YOU could sign up to be a marrow donor. One way to do so is tell them at the blood bank next time you go to donate blood. They'll take an extra phial and your sample's information will be added to the registry. That's how I got to be a donor. Or you can go to NMDP's web page for more information. Especially consider doing so if you are a member of a minority or of mixed race, if your health is good, because there are fewer donors registered who match for these people needing a transplant. Be sure to spread the word about marrow donation as well.

Okay, I know it is totally ludicrous to be sad about this, but...

Okay, I get that I'm on insulin. I'm giving myself the shots. I feel so much better. All that is fine. But today I got an e-mail from the bone marrow registry saying that as a result of my health update, they were removing my name from the registry and my tissue type will no longer be used to search for matches. I know they do this for donor safety. I know that it's a good thing. But it makes me a little sad, and I guess tonight I'm feeling that in some small way my life has changed. Granted, I'd probably never have been matched with a recipient, but still, that little insulin pen means I never will be.

On the brighter side, there's no reason I can't donate blood. And I really am feeling much, much better. And now I'm glad I signed up for AFLAC when I did, because I probably couldn't now. :)

If you're interested in replacing me on the registry, go to http://www.marrow.org. You never know when one small step could mean saving a life.

I was transferring cards today

to a new wallet (brought by the wallet fairy--see below) and came across my bone marrow donor identification card. It said to contact them if I am a diabetic requiring insulin. Since I have recently gone on it, I updated my information with them. As I understand it, I cannot donate as a result, although I suppose if I went off it and had no complications, I might again.

This saddened me. I know it's so hard to find the right matching donor and I've been a potential marrow donor for years. But I think I got a little inspiration for the next monetary donation--the National Marrow Donor Program (http://www.marrow.org) has a thing called the Be the Match Foundation, which helps recruit potential donors, funds medical research, and provides financial assistance to patients who need help meeting their treatment costs.

Please consider signing up to be a bone marrow donor. Your gift could save a life.

How to save a life

Broadway turns out to help sick 'Lion King' actress: Shannon Tavarez, 11, needs bone marrow donor to beat leukemia

Katharina Harf, co-founder of the bone marrow registry DKMS, said it was particularly difficult to find a perfect match for Tavarez because her mother is African-American and her father is Hispanic. For bone marrow transplants, minorities and those of mixed ancestry have a more difficult time finding good matches. There aren't as many people from those groups signed up as potential donors.

"It's very hard to find donors that are mixed race," said Harf, who helped organize the drive. "You're looking for a genetic twin. It's like finding the needle in a haystack." She said it would take at least three weeks to find out if there were any matches from the drive.

I'm on a bone marrow donation list and have been for years. How about you? You can sign up at your local blood bank. They take a phial of blood from you and put you on the registry. For more information, go to the National Bone Marrow Donor Programme.

I hope this talented young girl gets her match. I've known people for whom a bone marrow transplant really was an absolutely life-changing event, who are now free of cancer that otherwise would have killed them.