I just registered for the national bone marrow donor program

[tar heel]

Has anyone else done this? If so, have you matched with anyone?

Some women in my church organized it b/c one of our members (a woman in her 40s with two kids) is getting ready to have a bone marrow transplant. She did not have a family member donor match, so will be getting someone (we hope) friom the national registry. I'm normally squeamish about anything medical but would not have dreamed of not doing this because it is a way to actually do something to help. She has been an inspiration to all of us during her ordeal. She's had chemo and radiation -- this is pretty much all that's left.

There wasn't anything to the registration -- a finger prick and filling our a form. Dh and I also paid $32.50 each, half of the normal fee. The Rick Hendrick Foundation (I do live in NASCAR country) picked up the other half.

 

[cgcw]

What a wonderful thing to do. I hope someone turns up as a match for your church member.

I never thought about a bone marrow donor. We have signed our licenses and expressed our wishes as far as organ donation goes. I'll have to look into that in our area. I'm sure it will be easy to find.

 

[ennazus]

What did it entail for you? Do they just draw blood to test you?

 

[Pooh93]

I did this about 5 years ago for a lady in our town. Sadly, she never received a match. I have never been called for a match, but do get information periodically from them.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

On October 6th, 2001, we were told that our oldest DD, then 13, probably had leukemia. For 4 awful days, we were worried sick, and one of the many things that kept going through my head was "what if she needs a bone marrow transplant at some point, and we're not matches...and what if the very person who'd be a perfect match wasn't in the bone marrow donor program?"

We were very lucky 4 days later, when they did a bone marrow biopsy, to find out she didn't have leukemia...she was eventually diagnosed with a bone disease that we are dealing with. But shortly after her diagnosis, after things settled down, I did enroll in the program. All they do is draw a blood sample. I had it done at the Rhode Island Blood Center and it didn't cost anything. I've never been called about being a match tho.

Tar heel, I hope your church member receives a match. We experienced the fears involved in dealing with leukemia, however briefly, and thank God that we didn't have to face it any further.

 

[KathyTX]

I registered as a bone marrow donor about three years ago, at no cost to me at all.

I donate platelets in the Dallas area through Carter Bloodcare. It's similar to donating whole blood, but they only keep what they need and return the rest to you through a process called apheresis. The qualification criteria (health, weight, etc.) is the same as for other blood donors. You can make up to 24 donations per year. Many of the recipients of the donated platelets are cancer patients.

Carter Bloodcare has a program that allows platelet donors to join the marrow registry at no charge. I don't know if the blood banks in other areas of the country offer this, but you might check it out if you're considering registering.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Friday apparently is National Donor Day.

http://www.marrow.org/NEWS/RELEASES/donorday01282003.html

 

[tar heel]

The fee is for the matching process. It wasn't absolutely required, but another way to help. We feel so helpless. This person is a long-time friend -- we have a child the same age, have been in a book club together forever, etc. Her dh is an oncologist of all things.

 

[paras4ri]

I registered 6 years ago when a local boy needed a transplant. Luckily a match was found and he's doing well. He was in high school at the time and is now a young adult, going to college and working with our local organization that provides support for children with cancer.

I very much wanted to register because I was adopted. While I may never know any of my "blood" relatives I wanted to be able to help them if any of them ever needed a transplant.

 

[debster812]

KathyTX--DH is a platelet doner as well, and is registered. He donates in Braintree, MA at NE Blood Services. We lost a dear dear friend to cancer, and before she passed away, she asked all of us to donate as often as we could, because she had been the recipient of 3 transfusions and countless platelets.

I cannot do platelets, it takes too long, and it just does not make sense. DH has veins that 'pop' when you look at them, and the 'vampires' love him.

I donate whole blood as often as I can. We are both registered.

 

[Princess Michelle]

This is a wonderful thing and as a family member of someone who had leukemia, I say thank you.

No one in my family was a match for my brother, with his O positive blood he was a very hard match, they eventually used his own bone marrow but it didn't work.

I commend anyone who is healthy enough to sign up for this for doing so. You never know the difference you might be able to make in someone elses life.

 

[KathyTX]

Oh, Michelle! I'm so sorry they couldn't find a match.

It boggles my mind a bit that with all the many, many folks on the registry it's still such a long shot to find that perfect match.

Debster, I know what you mean about the vampires loving some folks' veins! I have a friend who can donate 3 units of platelets in the time it takes me to give one. She's a tremendous supporter of and donor recruiter for our local blood bank.

Thank you guys for sharing your stories. Donating blood or platelets is an easy way to help someone. Being selected as a marrow donor would be an awesome and very humbling way to really make a difference in a family's life.

 

[pokiemomo181]

I've been on the register for about 8 years. Never been called on though. I didn't have to pay anything for the testing. If I was called I wouldn't hesitate to try to help. I know if it was the other way around I would want someone to help my family. Its the least we can do for someone in need.


Pokie

 

[Buckalew]

What a wonderful thing to do! There is a little seven year old girl in my town needing a match as I type. I hope they find one for her soon! Best wishes to your friend at church.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have not been able to do bone marrow but have done both regular blood om many occasions and the apheresis process several times for a friend of ours who was in breast cancer treatment. It really feels good to be able to help like that.

Hoping something can be done for your church member, TH, and also for your neighbor, Bren. One of Marie's options at the inception of her treatments, 5 years ago, was bone marrow transplant, which she elected not to do. Subsequently, in following years, it has been demonstrated that that course of treatment is not effective in the treatment of breast cancer, where, on the other hand, her protocol was actually written up and on the news about 2 months ago as being exceptionally effective in its treatment. We never know what is down the paths we choose in life.

 

[tar heel]

Dan -- She DOES have breast cancer and has had various treatments for about 18 months. We've assumed that the bone marrow transplant is truly her only option left. I'm sure her dh (an oncologist) has been in touch with people all over the world about options. They are traveling to Seattle for the transplant because he believes that is the best place there is. It's a pretty long shot, though.

 

[I <3 Eeyore]

I've been a member of the HLA foundation for 10 years but have not been identified as a match for anyone yet.

 

[p-nut]

I have been registered for years but have never been a match.

 

[Margie J]

I registered about 8 years ago as part of a blood drive.

I did get called once after an initial match had been made. I was then questioned if I would give permission to do further testing (on the banked blood sample) to confirm a match. The person on the phone also wanted to be sure that I was well aware of the potential risks to me (mostly pain) and to determine if I was still a willing and able donor. They really care about both patient and donor. I was sent paperwork to sign in case a match was confirmed.

In the end, I was not a full match for the patient at that time. It was a bit sad to find out and I hope a match was found. Complete typing has now been done though so I will wait again. If I get another call it's a confirmed match.

 

[Dan Murphy]

TH, the one thing, among others, that we learned while Marie was (and really still is with all the followups) in treatment is that every case is really different, unto its own. Another is that almost all courses of treatment are 'protocols' that is research procredures, all looking for that answer. The breast cancer/bone marrow studies I referred to were what was being done at the time, '98/'99 time frame.

My very best wishes and prayers are with your friend. {hugs}