Advocate Lutheran General to host marrow registry drive

Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer, meaning roughly 480 people are diagnosed every day.

Many will need a bone-marrow transplant, also known as a stem cell transplant, to help them beat their disease, yet finding a match isn't a simple process.

According to Be the Match Marrow Registry, 70 percent of those in need of a bone-marrow transplant do not have a matching family member. That means that roughly 18,000 patients must rely on a donor to proceed with their transplant.

Inside our bones is a soft, spongelike material called bone marrow. Bone marrow contains stem cells that are capable of producing the different types of blood cells in our body. The goal of a stem cell transplant is to get rid of cancer cells and replace them with healthy stem cells.

"Your donation can help save the life of someone in need of a bone-marrow transplant. Your commitment could be someone's cure," says Dr. Tulio Rodriguez, director of Bone Marrow Transplant Services at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Il. "Joining the registry is the most effective way to reach those who are struggling with life-threatening cancers. It only takes a minute to be tested (or typed) and impact you have on a patient and their family will last a lifetime."

Those affected by leukemia, lymphoma, and 70 other blood diseases benefit from donated stem cells. To donate, you must be between 18 and 44 years old, meet health guidelines, and be committed and willing to donate. Remember that if you are a match for someone, you could likely be asked to donate and it's important to be committed to not only joining a registry, but following through on the donation process as well.

There are two ways to donate. The first is through peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation, a nonsurgical outpatient procedure called apheresis. Donors receive a drug five days ahead of donation that increases the number of stem cells in the bloodstream. The stem cells are then collected during donation.

The other way to become a donor is through bone marrow harvest, which is an outpatient surgical procedure. During surgery, bone marrow is collected from the back of the donor's pelvic bone.

You can register to become a donor by stopping by a donor drive like the one taking place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Parkside entrance, 1775 Dempster St. in Park Ridge.

You can also register online at join.bethematch.org/AdvocateHC.

Once you sign up to become a donor, you will receive a cheek swab kit via mail to complete and return. Once it is received and processed, you will be added to the registry. If you are a potential match for someone, the registry will call you and let you know. From there, a donor blood sample will need to be collected within seven days and the donor will need to undergo a medical evaluation. The collection center and donor will determine dates for donation.

"We really encourage everyone to stop by our registration drive and consider becoming a donor," says Huma Khan, manager of the Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Lutheran General Hospital. "More donors are needed to give more people the opportunity to receive a lifesaving transplant."