Blood Drive and Bone Marrow Registry

Volunteering at the blood drive was really fun today! After a quick training in the parking lot with the handbook on the hood of the car (yes.. this is really how she trained me.. not a typical situation..) I was tossed into the cantine - which is the refreshment area where we have the recovering donors sit and drink juice or water and eat some yummy snacks - while I watch them for signs of fainting or reactions. I volunteered from 9am to 3pm in the cantine, and Tania at the registration. It was really fun and some of the donors were really chatty and hilarious. This drive was held at a business center and the majority of people were donating on their breaks.

Very cool if you ask me.

Several times I was asked if I had ever donated blood, and no I haven't. I cannot donate because of my frequent visits to Costa Rica, donors have to have not travelled to Costa Rica within a year. I have always had a minor fear of blood donation, hearing the horror stories of people fainting or blood squirting or the cruel phlebotomy techs that poke you until you can't move your arm from being badly bruised. But I didn't experience any of that. The techs were all very nice and gentle with their donors, and I didn't have anyone fainting on me! So that was very good!

I did do something special today though.. I joined the National Bone Marrow Donor Program. For those who don't know what that is, here are some educational points:

• To be on the registry- you must be between 18 and 60 - meeting health guidelines of course
• Volunteers should be committed to helping any patient
• If you decide to register - you will remain on it until you are 61
• The process is easy - fill out the forms and take the swab packet they provide and swab your cheek cells - See... no pain to register. 
• Doctors search the registry to find a donor whose tissue type matches their patients. If you are chosen, your donor center will contact you. If you agree, more testing will be scheduled.
• Next step is to attend an information session with the staff of your donor center when you are a match and review the donation process, risks and side effects.
• There are two ways they can choose from to collect the blood forming cells - either from the marrow or from the circulating blood (aka PBSC donation).
• Here is where you decide to donate or not.
• Receive a physical exam.

Now if it is a Marrow Donation:

• Marrow Donation is a surgical procedure
• While you are under anesthesia, doctors use special hollow needles to withdraw liquid marrow from the back of the pelvis bone. 
• Some marrow donors receive a transfusion of their own previously donated blood.
• Some side effects: Soreness in the lower back for a few days or longer. Most donors are back to their normal routine in a few days.
• Did you know, your marrow is completely replaced/regenerated within four to six weeks?!
• And of course, a follow up.

And if it is a PBSC Donation:

• PBSC donation takes place at an apheresis center. 
• To increase the number of blood-forming cells in the bloodstream, donors receive daily injections of filgrastim for 5 days prior to collection. 
• Blood is then removed through a needle in one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the blood-forming cells. The remaining blood is returned back to your body in the other arm.
• Side effects: possible headache, bone or muscle aches prior to collection - a side effect from the filgrastim which increases the number of blood-forming cells. The effects disappear shortly after collection.
• Once again, a follow up. 

The National Marrow Donor Program helps people who need a life-saving marrow or blood cell transplant. They connect patients, doctors, donors and researchers to the resources they need to help more people live longer and healthier lives.

What a great thing to do for humanity. I even sported my awesome sticker all day.

For more info:

www.BeTheMatch.org