That was a lovely prayer that was answered.
Posted on 01/26/2006 4:00:50 PM PST by SandRat
U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES, PACIFIC, CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii (Jan. 25, 2006) -- As the War on Terrorism continues, the increased threat of nuclear, biological and chemical warfare attacks continue. The Department of Defense, in preparation, has devised countermeasures to be ready for such an attack.
The DoD is sponsoring world-wide bone marrow drives on military installations that will help treat victims of nuclear, biological or chemical attacks.
“If a servicemember is attacked by a nuclear, biological or chemical weapon, it takes three days for their bone marrow to deteriorate,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrea Miles, the C.W. Bill Young DoD Marrow Donor Program Regional Coordinator for Hawaii and Alaska.
“There are also around 70 different blood diseases such as lymphoma, leukemia and anemia that add to the number of people that need these bone marrow transplants,” said Miles.
Bone marrow donor registries are in constant need of donors.
“The more people we have in our bone marrow registry, the quicker and easier it is to find a donor and get a transfusion,” she continued.
“If the victim is registered, it’s also quicker because we don’t have to run tests on them. It’s like life insurance if you register as a donor, because then it saves time if you’re the one in need.”
“The last bone marrow drive we had was this past December at Marine Corps Base, Kaneohe Bay, and we got just under 4,000 people to register. We need more people from K-Bay,” said Miles. “Since they deploy often, it’s very important for them to do it. It might save their own life.”
The process is very simple, and no longer requires a blood sample.
“It only takes around five minutes to complete the process. You have to fill out a short form on medical and ethnic backgrounds, so it’s easier to find matches for those in need of a donor,” said Miles. “We no longer take blood sample either. Now, we use mouth swabs to get your DNA, so it’s that much quicker.”
“It doesn’t cost anything to register. Anyone that is active duty, reserve, DoD civilians, dependents or regular civilians can participate, as long as they are between the ages of 18 and 60,” she said.
“In order for someone in Hawaii to conduct a bone marrow drive at their command they must first get permission from their commanding officer, then find a location to hold it -– where people pass through out the day (indoors or outdoors), set up a date, provide volunteers to help out, call me for supplies at 808-655-3229 and finally, conduct the drive,” said Miles.
According to Miles, servicemembers should take initiative and act accordingly not only for others in need of transplants, but for themselves as well.
Thanks for the ping...
No comprehending your words here. Please explain.
Thanks very much! And I liked the laugh about tamari.
Thanks for the ping
Cancer survivors are not permitted to donate.
So the normal procedure is you have to donate blood, which is then screened to see if you're not disqualified (for instance, various diseases would not allow you to donate). Then your profile is entered into the database, and you wait for a match. The odds of you simply showing up to help a soldier (while is it indeed admirable!) and matching his marrow profile are astronomical.
Give the program another chance. Please! :-)
Coop, you are correct that blood type is just a small part of the equation when trying to match people up for bone marrow transplants...My husband, my younger son, and I all were tested to see if any of us was a viable bone marrow donor for my older boy...my husband, my younger son, and my older son, all were blood type O+...I am blood type A+..but when tested for bone marrow, I was more compatible with my older son, than either my younger son or my husband...
So blood type is not the determining factor...they match you on a number of points, and a lot of other testing, to see how well you might match a person who needs bone marrow...
I donate blood all the time, will the Bloodmobile people put me on a list and if you've lost family members to cancer does that disqualify you?
I had a bad experience, different kind. I had a bone marrow biopsy performed under life-threatening circumstances. I've always been a weenie just getting a shot ever since Nurse Hazel jammed shots in our butt cheeks as kids. JAMMED, I tell ya! We thought she must have been a witch, 'cause she was real short and had dark hair. After I grew up, I realized she must have even been pretty. LOL! Anyway, I'm a real weenie, but I'm gonna give it a go.
Thanks for posting the link.
I am alive today because of an anonymous donor who came from the NMDP!
14 + years cancer free!
A colleague of mine, who was called to donate marrow, told me (IIRC) that there are six major matching points.
I'm sure they'd have already disqualified you were you in one of those categories, but I suggest you contact the Red Cross to double check.
I currently cannot donate blood due to being stationed in the U.K. (Mad Cow disease restrictions).
My blood type changed from O+ to O- after my bone marrow transplant.
Awesome! Now that's what I call a testimonial!
Sounds like another great idea for your Scouts. Not that the kids can donate, but they have family members...
I try to recruit all I can. I've gotten most of my family registered and a few friends. Even my ex.
That is correct, there are 6 points....as an example, I was a 4 out of 6 match with my older boy, both my husband and my younger son were 3 out of 6 matches with him...
Now having had one child with leukemia, I was overly worried that I would have my other child get leukemia, and indeed there is a greater chance of this happening(tho statistically still less than 1 percent)...in any case, I asked the doctor to analyze how close of a match I and my husband were with my younger son should he ever get leukemia...judging from how my younger son and husband matched up with my older boy, I assumed they would be close to matching each other...I assumed wrong...they matched only on 3 out of 6 points, but my younger boy also matched me on 4 out of 6 points...so one must have the testing done, to know if one matches or not...one cannot assume, on the basis of blood type, or other tests, that one is or is not the match...you have to be tested, specifically for those 6 points...
I understand how the process works. I was turned off by the fact they wouldn't let me test for a match for someone that wasn't family without registering.
IOW, no, you can't choose who to donate to. We decide.
I have a high tolerance so I don't get queasy. I have a big problem with bureaucratic processes though.
I'm already a blood donor and I think I'm in the gallons. I don't even keep count.
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