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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Be The Match


A Bone Marrow Registry drive will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 on both the Brighton Campus (10 am to 4 pm in the Warshof Campus Center first floor Atrium) and the Damon Campus (10 am to 3 pm in the fourth floor Atrium).  The goal of the drive is to add to the number of people currently registered with the Be The Match Registry (formerly known as the “National Marrow Donor Program Registry”).  We are hoping to add more than 300 people to the registry as our part in a campaign to “Help Save a Life”.

The Department of Health Professions was the genesis for this MCC drive and while faculty and students learned more about the statistics regarding the thousands of patients with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases that depend on the Be The Match Registry, it became clear that this needed to be a diverse collaborative effort.

 The word went out!   The statistics demonstrate that nearly 70% of individuals requiring a bone marrow transplant must rely on donors other than family members who are unfortunately not a match.  Finding compatible donors is a challenge.  Often the best potential donor comes from the patient’s same ethnic group; sadly many minority groups are under-represented in the national registry (marrow.org).  With only 28% of registry donors representing diverse racial or ethnic heritage, more donors of diverse race and ethnicity are needed to increase the opportunity that all people have an equal chance of finding a matched donor.  Monroe Community College is a wonderfully diverse environment and a perfect opportunity for our students, faculty and staff to demonstrate once again our continuing commitment to diversity and to making a difference.   Enthusiastic response has been received from multiple student groups who will be identified at a later writing. 

Joining the national registry is a simple process and requires only a small saliva swab test obtained by trained “Be The Match Registry” representatives.   Becoming a volunteer donor is a commitment which can mean the difference between life and death for a fellow human being.

 The cost associated with adding volunteers to the registry during our drive is coming directly from Be The Match.   In an effort to pay it forward, a fundraiser will be conducted campus wide in an effort to raise funds to defray costs for future drives sponsored by other organizations.  When a student representative stops by to ask you to make a contribution please consider helping.  One dollar from each of us will be significant. 

To find out more about the “Be The Match Registry” marrow drive please contact Barbara Ellis at: <"mailto:bellis@monroecc.edu"> or Sharon Insero at: <sinsero@monroecc.edu>   or visit the “ Be The Match Registry” online at marrow.org. 

Sharon Insero
Health Professions
10/27/2009