On December 12, 2001, V-SMAC had its first bone marrow registration drive. We had 544 participants. On December 5, 2002, we brought this number up to 644! The following year we not only did a registration drive, but also a blood drive. Since I've left, the tradition continues. In fact, the numbers increase every year!
When I moved to Berkeley, I decided I wanted to bring this wonderful event here. I joined the Rotaract (college version of Rotary) club and proposed the idea. It was a hit and the first year we got 201 participants even though the drive was on the rainest day of the season! On October 18, 2006, we are hoping to get numbers near that of Vanderbilt.
What happens:
- You fill out a short medical and consent form.
- You get your finger pricked or cheek swabbed for testing purposes.
- You partake on our snacks!
- You might get some free stuff (t-shirts, etc.)!
What happens if I match?
If you get matched, it is not mandatory that you give your bone marrow. You can make that decision at that time. There are several ways to donate marrow. The most common is to have bone marrow taken out of your hip. The collection process is a surgical procedure lasting an hour or two. The procedure occurs in a hospital while you receive regional or general anesthesia. The marrow will naturally replenish itself in four to six weeks. Some patients feel a bit sore for a day or two after the procedure, but are rewarded by the fact that they have just saved a life!
Thousands of people each year will require a bone marrow transplant as a treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, cancer, and other disorders.
