DKMS Americas
I just joined. As you probably know, people are dying of leukemia. They can be saved if a matching donor is found, and the donor gives them some of their blood forming stem cells.
What you may not know is that only 1/200 people are called to donate AND it's really not a big deal to donate if you are called. 70 - 80% of the time the donation can be done by collecting these cells straight from the blood stream through an outpatient procedure called apheresis. 20 - 30% of the time, it is done by collecting marrow tissue in which they give you local anasthesia and stick a needle in your back.
Both are outpatient procedures, but the second option obviously sucks significantly more.
It's a huge commitment. If you can't commit, don't do it. I don't like the idea of possibly getting a needle stuck in my back voluntarily either. However if it saves a human life, I will do it. You never know if it's the thing God's keeping you alive to do.
Full Version: DKMS Americas
QUOTE (brianna @ Mar 6 2008, 06:20 PM) 
DKMS Americas
I just joined. As you probably know, people are dying of leukemia. They can be saved if a matching donor is found, and the donor gives them some of their blood forming stem cells.
What you may not know is that only 1/200 people are called to donate AND it's really not a big deal to donate if you are called. 70 - 80% of the time the donation can be done by collecting these cells straight from the blood stream through an outpatient procedure called apheresis. 20 - 30% of the time, it is done by collecting marrow tissue in which they give you local anasthesia and stick a needle in your back.
Both are outpatient procedures, but the second option obviously sucks significantly more.
It's a huge commitment. If you can't commit, don't do it. I don't like the idea of possibly getting a needle stuck in my back voluntarily either. However if it saves a human life, I will do it. You never know if it's the thing God's keeping you alive to do.
I just joined. As you probably know, people are dying of leukemia. They can be saved if a matching donor is found, and the donor gives them some of their blood forming stem cells.
What you may not know is that only 1/200 people are called to donate AND it's really not a big deal to donate if you are called. 70 - 80% of the time the donation can be done by collecting these cells straight from the blood stream through an outpatient procedure called apheresis. 20 - 30% of the time, it is done by collecting marrow tissue in which they give you local anasthesia and stick a needle in your back.
Both are outpatient procedures, but the second option obviously sucks significantly more.
It's a huge commitment. If you can't commit, don't do it. I don't like the idea of possibly getting a needle stuck in my back voluntarily either. However if it saves a human life, I will do it. You never know if it's the thing God's keeping you alive to do.
May G-d bless you.
Thanks Nooch. I'm hoping people will join.
Another thing, guys. Although it costs $65 to test you, the organization doesn't make you pay a dime. They just send you a cheek swab kit with prepaid stamps and instructions, you just send it back.
Another thing, guys. Although it costs $65 to test you, the organization doesn't make you pay a dime. They just send you a cheek swab kit with prepaid stamps and instructions, you just send it back.
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