“A bone-marrow transplant, for the patient, is a grueling procedure that involves wiping the diseased marrow clean with powerful chemotherapy and transfusing stem cells from a healthy person who is genetically matched. But for the person who makes the donation, it is not difficult.” From Delia Ephron’s article “How to Save a Life,” in the New York Times on Nov. 25, 2022.
Donating bone marrow provides stem cells to treat cancers like leukemia. It used to be that the only way to get these cells was by a minor surgical procedure, aspirating bone marrow from our bones. Now 85% of the time, stem cells are obtained by a type of blood donation.
On Sunday, December 11, from noon until 4:00 pm, at The Stissing Center, a Bone Marrow Registry drive will be conducted by Be the Match seeking a match to help Daniele Casazza Braham, Pine Plains graduate, and currently a Captain in the U.S. Navy. You might be the match that can save a life. Be The Match is a nonprofit organization run by the National Marrow Donor Program.