Join the National Bone Marrow Registry

I joined the registry when they had a free on-line drive. I haven’t heard anything more, other than getting a donor card in the mail. If I turned up to be a match for someone, I would totally donate my marrow. I know of many kids who have gone through, or are about to go through bone marrow transplant.

I just got my kit in the mail and have swabed my mouth.

I noticed that many people have used the same registry, but has anyone heard of DKMS? They dont charge anything to get on the donor list. This is their website…

http://www.dkmsamericas.org/

WAITING FOR A REPLY

My Bone Marrow Donor kit arrived in the mail on Friday. I waited until this morning to mail my sample so it wouldn’t get stuck somewhere on a Sunday. I’ll be officially tissue-typed in the next few weeks and then it’s a matter of waiting to be a match.

I have an account at work that has earned dollars for various “healthy” activities like getting CPR certified and exercising. I can use the money I’ve earned to pay for the registration fee. I’m thrilled and I’m going to see if it can be announced at work. We already do blood drives, so maybe it’s possible to get more people involved.

This was so easy, I wish I had done it sooner!

I’ve completed my online registration (at http://www.marrow.org/HELP/Join_the_Registry/index.html) and my tissue typing sample kit is on its way! I had wanted to go get typed in person, but the closest center is in another city and I haven’t been able to get there.

I shall post when I’ve sent my sample kit back.

And I really hope that someday I’ll get a call that I match and I can post that I donated. Fingers crossed!

Happy to have donated!

Now I just hope someday I am able to donate. :)

Yes, I too joined the National Bone Marrow Registry. All it takes is a simple blood taste. Your information goes into a database and if there’s a chance you’re a match, they will call you and ask you if you’re willing to donate bone marrow. Donating bone marrow can save another person’s life. I can’t imagine why anyone would not want to at least be on the registry even if they aren’t sure they would actually donate if the time ever came. If I got a call saying I was a match, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I can’t imagine anything more gratifying on this earth than saving the life of another person.

I did this at a conference a couple of years ago. It’s one small way we can help make up for all the blood lines tragically lost in the Holocaust.

Bone marrow transplants, when they work, are miracles.

I signed up for the registry in summer, 2004, and have helped sign up other people since then. Chances are, I’ll never hear from them again, but if I am a match for someone, it could save a life. No kidding.

This is totally, totally worth doing!