Not sure if you heard yet, but yesterday the Daily News reported that eleven year old Shannon Tavarez, who played Young Nala in the Broadway musical the Lion King until she was diagnosed with leukemia this past spring, has just received a transfusion of umbilical cord blood from an anonymous donor. Shannon's story is very similar to the story of six year old Jasmina Anema, who's plight also featured in the Daily News, won support from big names like Rihanna. Unlike Shannon, young Jasmina lost her battle to leukemia this past January.
The lives of these two very courageous young girls have contributed to a very important dialogue, of a very significant cultural discrepancy. Their stories have truly brought to light the under-representation of minorities in the National Donor Network and National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). In fact, of the more than 8 million NMDP registered donors only 600,000 are Black and 250,000 are Mixed Race. The DNA of minorities tend to be more varied and from what I can gather from my readings on this subject, race plays a serious role in finding a donor match.
The following is an excerpt from an article published in Time Magazine called "Bone Marrow Transplants: When Race is the Issue."
Part of the problem might be that there are a lot of negative misconceptions about donating marrow. Says Asklipiadis, "They assume it is more painful than it really is." About 70-80% of the time, the donation is done through something akin to a five-hour blood donation. Blood is extracted from one arm into a machine that separates the needed cells, and then the remaining blood is returned through the other arm. Sometimes, a surgery is performed to extract liquid marrow from the back of the donor's pelvic bone instead. This surgery, usually performed under local anesthetic, can leave one's lower back a bit sore for a few days. Dr. Willis Navarro, the medical director for transplant services for the National Marrow Donor Program, compared it to being kicked by a horse, but he says being called on to save someone's life is a wonderful opportunity. Says Navarro, "It's an exciting feeling knowing you could be the only person in the world who can help that person."
Personally, I'm someone who is terrified of any kind of doctor visit. In fact, unless something is broken, I just don't go. Between the smell, the questions, the crowds, and the tools it's no wonder! But reading about these children, it's hard not to be humbled by their bravery. They are at the very beginning of their life, and they are suddenly thrust into such an unpredictable circumstance that their wisdom and acceptance soon pervades their years.
I find it truly amazing that you can actually make a tangible difference and save a life by sacrificing five hours and some discomfort that will disappear in a few days, and that you probably won't even feel with the pain-reliever you are sure to be prescribed after.
Anyhow, these stories have led me to do some serious research on how I can become a donor. So far www.marrow.org has been very helpful. I've also read that many hospitals will send you a package with the materials to do a simple swab from the inside of your mouth to mail back in! Sounds easy enough, and well worth it!
The lives of these two very courageous young girls have contributed to a very important dialogue, of a very significant cultural discrepancy. Their stories have truly brought to light the under-representation of minorities in the National Donor Network and National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). In fact, of the more than 8 million NMDP registered donors only 600,000 are Black and 250,000 are Mixed Race. The DNA of minorities tend to be more varied and from what I can gather from my readings on this subject, race plays a serious role in finding a donor match.
The following is an excerpt from an article published in Time Magazine called "Bone Marrow Transplants: When Race is the Issue."
Part of the problem might be that there are a lot of negative misconceptions about donating marrow. Says Asklipiadis, "They assume it is more painful than it really is." About 70-80% of the time, the donation is done through something akin to a five-hour blood donation. Blood is extracted from one arm into a machine that separates the needed cells, and then the remaining blood is returned through the other arm. Sometimes, a surgery is performed to extract liquid marrow from the back of the donor's pelvic bone instead. This surgery, usually performed under local anesthetic, can leave one's lower back a bit sore for a few days. Dr. Willis Navarro, the medical director for transplant services for the National Marrow Donor Program, compared it to being kicked by a horse, but he says being called on to save someone's life is a wonderful opportunity. Says Navarro, "It's an exciting feeling knowing you could be the only person in the world who can help that person."
Personally, I'm someone who is terrified of any kind of doctor visit. In fact, unless something is broken, I just don't go. Between the smell, the questions, the crowds, and the tools it's no wonder! But reading about these children, it's hard not to be humbled by their bravery. They are at the very beginning of their life, and they are suddenly thrust into such an unpredictable circumstance that their wisdom and acceptance soon pervades their years.
I find it truly amazing that you can actually make a tangible difference and save a life by sacrificing five hours and some discomfort that will disappear in a few days, and that you probably won't even feel with the pain-reliever you are sure to be prescribed after.
Anyhow, these stories have led me to do some serious research on how I can become a donor. So far www.marrow.org has been very helpful. I've also read that many hospitals will send you a package with the materials to do a simple swab from the inside of your mouth to mail back in! Sounds easy enough, and well worth it!