RE: National Marrow Donor Program - Please Read

[Dayton Dave]

 It is with heavy heart that I write this post.  I have a co-worker that I have known for many years that is fighting a loosing battle for his life.  He has a rare blood disorder that looks like will win over all efforts.  When you have a need for donors for bone marrow there is extensive testing that is done to see if there is a match.  Many people will find 25-50 matches that are good enough to approach for a bone marrow transfusion.  My friend had 2 matches that did not pass the detailed follow-on testing.  Things are not looking good for him.  It is hard to watch a friend slowly waste away.  We know what the outcome will be.  He starts his short term disability leave in a week, and that is the first step away.  Even at this point he has to be at home to keep from catching any infection at all.  His immune system is complety gone.
 
 The thing that I want to impress is the need to have people place themselves in a national registry to be potential donors.  Not much is required on your part, just a small blood sample.  If you are ever chosen, it is because you have a chance to save a life.  By the time that someone needs a bone marrow donation, they have lost their own system to fight infections.  There is not much left for them.
 
 Here is the link to the national organization.  Please take a look and consider your chance to help others.
 
 Thanks, Dave
 
 http://www.marrow.org

[DiW]

 Dayton Dave
My DH & I are both registered. Our best man was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 29. Over 2 years, he found 1 match. Unfortunately, she was unable to donate marrow when he needed it - she was pregnant. He lived long enough to celebrate his son s first birthday...
 
 I encourage everyone to consider being a donor. To register, you simply need to give a blood sample. Giving blood is no big deal and while donating marrow is more demanding, imagine how rewarding it would be to SAVE a life. I so wish I would get that call because I know it is possible to make a difference in this world and I d like to have my chance.
 Di

[Popupnut]

 Dayton Dave
Dave,
 
 I am so sorry to hear about your friend - I am grateful that you shared it with all of us here.  I have a very dear girlfriend who I met while camping in New Hampshire - we became very tight and have made it a point to camp together each year with her and her family.  This friend also has a very rare blood disease " mylodysplasia"  (my spelling may be incorrect) and is at the point where it has reared it s ugly head and threatens her life.  The family is organizing a " rally"  for a donor drive and we are going to be there for her in  a few weeks to see if we can donate .  We have friends in our state that are also offering to donate to see if they are a match.   It s heartwarming to know that strangers are willing to help.  The reality is that none of us knew about this disease until we met her - but when her prognosis changed - we became very aware of  what her struggle could be.  I wish more folks would offer themselves to strangers in need - although I know there is a fear that goes along with donating.  
 Our prayers are with your friend.  Thanks for making us all aware once again - the importance of blood donors, and donors of any type - it is an act of  great human compassion.

[marin]

 Dayton Dave
Proud to be registered as a Marrow doner, and organ doner! []

[Dayton Dave]

 Dayton Dave
As an update here is a snippet from an email that my friend in which he told us more of the details of his illness.  He has drastically gone downhill since he wrote this in October of last year.  There are no matches for him at this time.
 
 
 The name of the disease I have is myelodysplasia (also known as myelodysplastic syndrome - MDS). It is not contagious or hereditary. The exact type of myelodysplasia I have is " refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia and complex chromosomal abnormalities"  (say that after a couple of beers). Basically, it means that all of my blood lines are low because my bone marrow stem cells are making abnormal blood cells that don t function properly. There is no treatment besides a bone marrow transplant and prognosis is 2-3 years (which I?m well into year one).
 

[Venatic]

 Dayton Dave
Dave,
 
 I ve been on the bone marrow registry since 1991. I ve almost been chosen once and was disappointed that someone else was a closer match. LOL
 
 I m know the feeling of seeing someone with a blood disorder all to well. Our son had leukemia when he was 4. Even though he didn t require a bone marrow transplant, we were type matched just in case. I didn t come close, but my wife and daughter were candidates. He s 17 today and doing fine.

[texacokat]

 Dayton Dave
Dave I am so sorry to hear about your colleague.  It is so frustrating to see the clock ticking when there are no resources to help.
 
 I have been registered as a donor for 6 years, since my close friend and colleague lost his battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  He had one bone marrow transplant; and it gave him a full 8 months of quality time here on earth.  Unfortunately, the transplant didn t eradicate all the cells.  He never got well enough again to do another transplant.
 
 Another colleague here at work also contracted non-Hodgkins almost one year to the date (what are the chances?) of colleague #1.  With his Japanese ancestry, his registry pool was very small.  Our firm helped to organize a rally in Hawaii, a match was made and his transplant allowed him almost 4 years with his young family.  Unfortunately, the cancer returned and we said goodbye to him one year ago.