[Andrax]

I don't think that we have many members that are in Idaho or the Boise area, but if you are then you should definitely consider stopping by to get registered, it could make the world of difference! If you are a resident of the Treasure Valley already or will be visiting the area the weekend of August 9th please take a few moments and stop by the Boise City Hall on Capital Blvd in the heart of Downtown to register as a Bone Marrow Donor. The process is completely painless to register and also free. Typically the cost to register yourself as a donor is $50 (fifty dollars) but during this one day event that cost will be waived. See press release below.

The process is simple, painless and quick. A cheek swab is taken, tested and then entered into the nationwide database. Thousands of patients are waiting for a bone marrow donor match and you could help save a life.

More information available by calling Mark Allen at 208-381-3109 or visit www.marrow.org

I hope to see you there!

Quote

BOISE’S LAST BONE MARROW DONOR DRIVE

TO BE HELD AUGUST 9 AT CITY HALL

Boise’s last locally-sponsored bone marrow donor drive will be held Saturday, August 9, 2008, at the Boise City Hall Plaza from 9am-4pm and will be FREE to the public. Participants wishing to help save a person’s life need only show up and undergo a simple cheek swab to be entered into the National Marrow Donor Program Registry.

The event is being sponsored by Saint Alphonsus Cancer Center and St. Luke’s MSTI, the National Donor Marrow Program, Inland Northwest Blood Center, and Group One Real Estate.

Saint Alphonsus Marrow Donor Registry closed its doors in April of this year, while St. Luke’s MSTI Marrow Donor Center will end operations in September. The decision to close the donor centers in Idaho was due to new national recruitment quotas and other requirements mandated by the National Marrow Donor Program. The donors recruited by both programs will be transferred to and managed by the Inland Northwest Blood Center in Spokane.

The August 9 drive is being held in honor of Shannah Hadley, a young Treasure Valley wife and mother of two girls who was diagnosed with aplastic anemia (a type of blood cancer) just two months ago.

There are currently over 6,000 men, women and children across the United States waiting for a bone marrow donor match to save their lives. Bone marrow and stem cell transplants are used to treat leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases.

City Hall was selected as the location due to Mayor David Bieter’s support of bone marrow donation programs. In 2003, Mayor Bieter saved the life of a Florida donor by successfully donating his bone marrow. “I found donating to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” said Mayor Bieter. “Having gone through the entire process I can tell you it is much easier than you would expect. I strongly encourage every one to make time to get registered at City Hall on August 9.”

For additional information or to join the National Registry if you’re not able to participate on August 9, 2008 please go to www.marrow.org

For additional information about the August 9th Boise’s Last Bone Marrow Drive please contact Carey Farmer at 724-4062.

For additional information about local bone marrow donation please contact Call Mark Allen at MSTI at 381.3109

[oVo]

National datbase? Hmmm, interesting.


I'm not in that area, but if I were I would want to know more about these treatments and the procedure for actually donating bone marrow.

Leukemia is a mean scarry disease.

[Mike]

When I registered over 10 years ago in the local bone marrow registry, they took a test tube's worth of blood for matching/cross typing.

If a match to your marrow is needed, the organization calls you to see if you are still available and interviews the potential donor and runs thru a long list of disqualifications. IIRC, the donation process consisted of a needle into the center of the donor's hip bone to extract a sample of marrow. I think the marrow is then injected into the (donee? Victim? Sufferer's?) "bad" person's hip bone. I believe the extraction can be performed as an outpatient procedure.

Keep in mind, my info is over 10 years old so there probably have been changes since then.

This post has been edited by Mike: 31 July 2008 - 02:32 PM

[Mike]

Wikipedia reported that most stem cell donations are now performed with peripheral blood and stem cell growth factors versus bone marrow harvesting from the donor's pelvis. My data is obviously too old

This post has been edited by Mike: 31 July 2008 - 02:40 PM

[oVo]

You are registered? That's great, Mike! And the procedure doesn't sound too bad either.

[Fifi]

oVo, on Aug 1 2008, 07:14 AM, said:

You are registered? That's great, Mike! And the procedure doesn't sound too bad either.

But if he registered ten years ago, won't I have to dust it up a bit?

[Andrax]

Turn out was very good. Not sure how many people we had come through but the tables were almost always full and the line grew throughout the day.

Definitely a great way to spend a Saturday!

[oVo]

Good job, Andrax, very good indeed!

[lobsta21]

Greetings! Revered Gods on Mount Olympus!

I was sick, cAn I sign up now?

[Andrax]

Welcome back lobsta! Unfortunately you missed it, but it was a local event anyway so unless you were in Boise that weekend it's moot.

I'm sure that you can register locally however.