A member of the Salesforce.com Partner Community is in need. Karen Mellow Stock, a consultant at Astadia, was diagnosed in December with lymphoma. She's undergone chemotherapy, and now needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. Finding a donor match is critical.
How you can help
We're calling upon the salesforce.com community to help by registering as donors. Registering as a bone marrow donor is a simple process! You fill out a form and get the inside of your cheek swabbed to collect some cells. With that, you are registered into the global database of potential donors, a database that is constantly searched for matches. Getting registered means you could be found as a match, and get the rare privilege of saving someone's life. You can request a kit by mail, and you can contribute funds to the cause.
What if I am a match?
There is a misconception that donating bone marrow is a complicated, painful process. There are two ways to donate: 70-80% of the time, stem cells are collected from the donor's blood, much like donating plasma. 20-30% of the time, bone marrow is withdrawn from the hip (not the spine) using a special syringe. Both methods are outpatient procedures performed using local or general anesthesia.
Why is registering as a bone marrow donor important?
Every year, more than 140,000 people are diagnosed with a blood cancer such as lymphoma or leukemia. Of those patients who need a life-saving bone marrow transplant, fewer than 30% are able to find a donor match within their own families; the other 70% must search for an unrelated donor; and only three out of ten patients will ultimately receive the transplant that could save their lives. Don't miss a chance to find out if your destiny includes saving the life of another human being. Register as a bone marrow donor today.
