More young African-Americans are urgently needed on the national Be The Match Registry, the world’s largest listing of potential marrow donors. Currently, just 7 percent of 10 million potential donors on the registry are African-American.
Donating marrow can cure someone with sickle cell anemia or life-threatening blood cancers. The most successful transplants occur between people who share similar DNA because of their racial or ethnic heritage. But many African-Americans can’t find marrow donors.
Sadly, the myths about marrow donation – like donating is painful or that you have to pay to donate – keep people from joining the registry and potentially saving a life. During African-American Bone Marrow Awareness Month in July, Be The Match is working to dispel these myths through a new initiative called Swab+DNA=Save a Life.
You can save a life by joining the Be The Match Registry as a potential marrow donor. Please visit BeTheMatch.org to join online today.
Helpful links:
BeTheMatch.org – Be The Match Home Page
BeTheMatch.org/join – Join the registry online
SwabplusDNA.org – Learn more about the Swab+DNA campaign, featuring the cast of the hit television show NCIS
YouTube.com/BeTheMatch – Watch inspirational stories of donors and patients
BeTheMatch.org/cord and Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood – Learn more about public cord blood donation
Facebook.com/BeTheMatch and Twitter.com/BeTheMatch – Connect with Be The Match on Facebook and Twitter
Source: Be The Match
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