In need of a Bone Marrow Donor of Yugoslavian descent!!

[Pam]

Become a Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Donor Now & Save a Life!!

Free donor testing kits are available by mail. Most donor testing is done with a simple cheek swab (for DNA), rather than a blood test. So no needles! As a donor, you will become part of the National Marrow Donor Program Registry to be matched with any patient in need of a donor match.

My brother-in-law has Non-Hodgkin' s Lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic
system/blood cancer). He is only 39, and he and my sister have 2 young
children. He is in need of a bone marrow/stem cell match for a bone
marrow/stem cell transplant that he will need within the next couple of
months. He is of Yugoslavian descent (Croatian, Slovenian, Bosnian, and
the like), so there is a better chance of finding a match from someone
of this descent. However, anyone can be a potential match, so please
consider becoming a donor!

A successful transplant, with the help of a good match, will greatly
increase his chances for surviving this disease, so that he can be here
to raise his children and see them grow-up.

May is National Donor Month and donor testing with cheek swab by mail is free through Heart of America from May 6-20th. Please call 800-366-6711 or 650-624-9024 for more information. Or visit: www.marrow.org (https://www.marrow.org)

You can also go to DKMS America to receive a free donor testing kit by mail (although they may require blood test): www.dkmsamericas.org (https://www.dkmsamericas.org/)

** Please note: there are some health guidelines for becoming a bone
marrow donor, which you should be able to find at www.dkmsamericas.org (https://www.dkmsamericas.org)
<https://www.dkmsamer icas.org (https://www.dkmsamericas.org/)> under Eligibility. Age limits are generally 18-60. Testing done at a local blood donor center may cost $52 for caucasions, if not done May 6-20th (non-caucasion donors are generally always free).

If you have any questions, please contact me for info.
Thank you!!
Pam

707-792-1632
pamcassidy@yahoo. com (https://us.f520.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=pamcassidy%40yahoo.com)

[Rucira]

I am half russian. I wonder if that might make me likely candidate?? let me know. I dont have any communicable diseases. rucira. 568-1653:heart: :idea:

[Pam]

Hi Rucira,

Yes, everyone is encouraged to become a donor!! You probably would be a more likely match, given that you have similar heritage, although anyone is a potential match. Thank you so much for caring enough to become a donor!!!That's great that you don't have any communicable diseases. Here are some other specific health requirements:

Eligibility

Donors must not suffer from any of the following:
AIDS: If you have HIV or are at risk for HIV (AIDS), you cannot become a marrow donor.
Asthma: Serious asthma (poorly controlled, requiring hospitalization, etc) is not acceptable.
Back (neck or spine) problems: Back problems (sprains, strains and aches) are common and usually will not interfere with marrow donation. However, serious back problems, particularly those requiring surgery, may be a cause for deferral. If you have significant back problems, consult us.
Blood pressure: Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is acceptable if controlled by salt restriction or medication.
Cancer: Cured local skin cancer (only simple basal cell or squamous cell) is acceptable. Cervical cancer in situ is acceptable. All other forms of cancer are unacceptable.
Diabetes: Medication-dependent diabetes is not acceptable. Diabetes controlled by diet is acceptable.
Epilepsy: More than one seizure in the past year or multiple seizures are not acceptable. Epilepsy controlled with medication, when there has been no more than one seizure in the past year, is acceptable.
Heart disease: Prior heart attack, bypass surgery or other heart disease is not acceptable. Mitral valve prolapse that does not require medication or restrictions is acceptable. Irregular heartbeat not requiring medication is acceptable.
Hepatitis: Hepatitis B surface antigen is not acceptable. Hepatitis C antibody is not acceptable. Any other hepatitis history must be evaluated early in the actual search process. Hepatitis vaccine is acceptable.
Lyme disease: Asymptomatic Lyme disease is acceptable if the donor has been treated successfully with antibiotics. Chronic Lyme disease is unacceptable.
Malaria: If you had malaria more than three years ago, you are still eligible to be a marrow donor. If you finished a full course of antimalarial drugs more than six months ago, you are also eligible to donate your marrow.
Obesity: Body Mass Index is used to evaluate weight. Donors may be deferred if obesity presents donation risk.
Organ or tissue transplant: Heart, lung, kidney, bone or other organ or tissue transplant recipients are deferred.
Sexually transmitted diseases: Any history of sexual transmitted diseases must be evaluated early in the actual search process.
Tuberculosis: If you have had active pulmonary tuberculosis within the last two years, you are not eligible to be a marrow donor.
Source: Puget Sound Blood Center (Donating Bone Marrow) (https://www.psbc.org/programs/marrow_guidelines.htm)

Peripheral blood stem cell donors cannot donate if they have:
A history of inflammatory eye disease (iritis, episcleritis)
A history or risk factors for deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism are taking lithium
A platelet count lower than 150,000 mL

The following are temporary reasons a donor may not be able to donate:
* Marrow cannot be collected at any time during pregnancy. After giving birth and once you have stopped breastfeeding, you can become a donor again.
* Anticoagulant or anti-platelet treatments (with aspirin, persatine or similar medicines), depending on the length of these treatments.
* There are many other disorders not included in the above lists that may make it difficult to donate (including possible allergies to anaesthetics and inherited enzyme deficiencies). All candidates should find out about their own particular case prior to registration.

For umbilical cord donations, any healthy, pregnant woman who has a normal vaginal delivery is eligible to donate cord blood stem cells.

For donating thru www.dkmsamericas.org/ (https://www.dkmsamericas.org/) only:
Donors must be between 18 and 55 years of age and healthy. Donors are asked to share personal information such as age, address, telephone number and a brief clinical history. This information is private but is included in the DKMS database. To measure compatibility characteristics, donors must agree to take a blood test. A small amount is kept in the lab for future testing.

** To donate with cheek swab only (no blood test) and a free donor test kit by mail, call Heart of America at 800-366-6711 or go to:
www.marrow.org (https://www.marrow.org/)