[KitKat]

<p>A friend of mine from high school has Hodgkin's Lymphoma and has not been responding to treatment.  Her only hope now is a bone marrow transplant which comes with 50/50 odds of survival.  She is a 38 year old with four young children just like me.  If you haven't done so already please consider joining the bone marrow registry.  It's easy.  Applications can be filled out on line and they don't take your blood to register, just a swab.  Here's the link to the Canadian Blood Services, I'm sure there is a US or UK equivalent out there too:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://www.blood.ca/CentreApps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/Join_OneMatch?OpenDocument&CloseMenu&p=OMSplashEnter" target="_blank">https://www.blood.ca/CentreApps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/Join_OneMatch?OpenDocument&CloseMenu&p=OMSplashEnter</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hug your loved ones tight this Christmas. </p>

 

[cak73]

<p>So sorry to hear about your friend.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the US, for the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, it's</p>
<p><a href="http://www.giftoflife.org" target="_blank">http://www.giftoflife.org</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>They visit Brandeis University now and then.</p>

 

[KitKat]

<p>Thanks for posting the link Cheryl!</p>

 

[bard73]

<p> <a href="http://marrow.org/" target="_blank">http://marrow.org/</a>  National Marrow Donor Program.  I am listed with them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There's a Kickster here who actually has gone through the donation process but I'll let him tell the tale (or link to his original story about it). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>edit to add:  I clicked the link for the other program, and it is associated with the National Marrow Donor Program.</p>

 

[mmoonptdeux]

<p>Sorry to hear about your friend KitKat - I wish her the best</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As bard mentioned above, there is a Kickster here who's registered and underwent the process and it would be me, though technically there are two of Kicksters if I'm not mistaken (ironically, we have similar screennames as well)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Interestingly, we both went through different processes of donating marrow, but I know enough about the both of them to give you the rundown.  Definitely feel free to shoot me a PM if you have questions regarding either one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But like KitKat said, the initial registration is easy-peasy.  If you've been thinking of it for awhile, it wouldn't be a bad time to get on there.</p>
<p><br>
 </p>
<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>bard73</strong> <a href="/forum/thread/71584/psa-bone-marrow-registry#post_1968546"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p> <a href="http://marrow.org/" target="_blank">http://marrow.org/</a>  National Marrow Donor Program.  I am listed with them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There's a Kickster here who actually has gone through the donation process but I'll let him tell the tale (or link to his original story about it). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>edit to add:  I clicked the link for the other program, and it is associated with the National Marrow Donor Program.</p>
</div>
</div>
<br><br>

 

[hobey]

Oh I'm sorry to hear about your friend Kathy. Thanks for posting the links to the US resources!

 

[Silly Sally]

<p>Hi Kitkat,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I hope your friend makes it through, sending her love and hope ... I remember at one of my Team in Training pep talk dinners before a race, we were privileged to witness the surprise (but planned) meeting of a survivor with her bone marrow donor.  Incredibly emotional and everyone was in tears. She also had young children and had actually volunteered to speak to the TNT members but hadn't a clue about the surprise planned for her.  The bone marrow donor was present because he continued to help with the fight against blood cancers by racing with TNT.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm registered as a bone marrow donor, very easy to do folks, and I urge others to do it.  It can save a life!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sally</p>

 

[jenotter]

<p>I'm sorry about your friend, KitKat...big hugs to her!!!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's so easy...when you donate blood, they just take one more small vile and you sign up (at least that's what they did when I registered). Piece of cake! I have never been called to be a donor, but I've been on the registry for I think 7-8 years.</p>

 

[pcsronbo]

<p>I was so touched hearing mmoonptdeux's story, I think everyone should register. What an amazing gift you can give!</p>

 

[KitKat]

<p>Thanks everybody.  And you Joe, are a rockstar.  <span><img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"></span></p>

 

[em73]

<p>this was in this month's Be The Match registry.  pretty touching.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIa563ltg5U" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIa563ltg5U</a></p>
<p> </p>