On July 8th, the Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Program hosted an unrelated marrow donor drive at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview.  In an embodiment of the Fairview values of compassion and service, eighty-seven potential marrow donors to the Be The Match Registry were added.

The opportunity to join the national Be The Match Registry was especially meaningful for members of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program who came out in force for a chance to help BMT patients like the ones they care for every day.  Many BMT program staff, nurses, social workers, and providers, including seven BMT physicians, showed up to swab their cheeks and make the commitment to be available to donate cells for patients, anywhere in the world, in need of blood and marrow transplants. 
According to Louisa Jaehn, a BMT nurse coordinator, “This donor drive provided the perfect opportunity for me to step up and potentially be the match for a BMT patient.  It would be so rewarding to have the chance to donate to someone in the patient population with whom I work, taking away one of the many obstacles these patients face."

You could be the one to save a life – join the Be The Match Registry online.

Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) offers the hope of a cure for patients with life threatening cancers of the blood, marrow failure syndromes and metabolic disorders.  Unfortunately, most patients do not have a matched donor in their families. 

Joining the Registry online is as easy as 1-2-3

1. Go to: http://join.marrow.org/uofm and confirm that you meet basic registry age & health guidelines.
2. Complete the online form and order your registration kit (which will be sent to you in the mail).
3. Follow the instructions in your kit to collect a swab of cheek cells, & return the kit in the envelope provided.
By becoming a member of the Registry, you could be the match for a patient in critical need—maybe even the only person who could save a patient’s life.

Please contact Melinda Baxter (612-273-2828, mbaxter1@fairview.org) for more information or with questions.