The American Red Cross at Ithaca College is working with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) to host a marrow registry drive on Tuesday, November 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Campus Center conference room. This is a very special opportunity as we have received a grant to cover the $60 fee that is usually attached to entering the registry.
The NMDP is looking for volunteers who would be willing to donate bone marrow or blood cells to people with diseases that require a transfusion or transplant. The registry drive is an opportunity for volunteers to give a small sample of blood that will be tested and then entered in the national registry. When a patient needs a transplant, the registry is searched for a donor with matching antigens. In the event that you were a positive match for someone, you would be contacted and from that point and could choose to go forward with the actual donation process.
Entering the registry at the drive on Tuesday does not mean that you must commit to actually donating bone marrow or blood cells; it is simply a way to enter your information into the registry and be available as a potential donor. You could be contacted within a month of entering the registry as a match or you may never be contacted in your lifetime. You can also remove yourself from the registry at any time for any reason.
The American Red Cross at Ithaca College will be tabling Thursday and Friday in Textor Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to distribute more information. You can also refer to the NMDP's website at http://www.marrow.org. If you would like to sign up to enter the registry, please e-mail [mailto:redcross@ithaca.edu] or visit the table in Textor.
Thank you for your support!
Amanda, chair of ARC@IC
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20051109144547389