Marrow March Madness

For those of you who have yet to register to be a bone marrow donor, it’s just gotten easier! You can register online. More info from A3M:

In spirit of March Madness, Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches is starting a small campaign called Marrow March Madness in hope to increase the registrant pool through a new method: the online way.

Each year thousands of patients are searching for their one life-saving match. They depend on people like you to register as marrow donors and potentially save their life.
HLA typing matches depend heavily on ethnic background so your registration will help someone of your own ethnic community.

Here are just a few stories of patients in search of a donor, patients with successful transplants, and patients that have passed away:

http://www.projectmichelle.com

http://www.teamkrissy.com

http://khanhvo85.blogspot.com/

http://www.savejodie.com

http://www.ericamurray.blogspot.com/

HOW TO REGISTER ONLINE:

1. http://marrow.org/HELP/JointheDonorRegistry/JoinNow/join_now.html

2. Enter this promo code when asked: CTFHOPE03 (03 as in zero three)

*Entering the code enables you to waive the HLA typing fee of $52 that they normally charge… registering is FREE!

****Code expires at 11:59pm March 31, 2009

(should you be reading this blog post after that date, just change the end of the code to read 04 which stands for April and so forth)**

1. Wait for cheek swab kits to come in mail

2. Swab yourself, mail it back.

Once you’ve registered, you’ll only be contacted should you show up as a match. Otherwise you’ll just remain on the registry in peace until you’re 61, which is when you’ll be automatically removed.

ACTUAL DONATION PROCESS:

Flow chart: http://asianmarrow.org/donors/howtobeadonor/index.html

Please consider it. You could save a life.