What It Means to Be on the Bone Marrow Registry

Signing up to be on the bone marrow registry is easy. All you do is swab the insides of your cheeks with a long q-tip and send it on its way. Once you are on the registry, chances are slim you will be a match for someone, but if you are, you will literally be the answer to someone’s prayers. Your bone marrow can save a life. It may be the life of someone nearby, someone far a way, a child or an adult. Everyone but a sociopath can see the beauty of being the cure for a person suffering with life-ending blood cancer. But still, the registry has pitifully small numbers?

Why? Because of misinformation. Many people have heard being a bone marrow donor is painful, and this prevents them from wanting to be a part of hope. Here are the facts:

1. You are contacted you are a match.
2. A blood test and a physical exam are done to ensure you are healthy enough to donate.
3. 75% of the time, your bone marrow can be retrieved through your blood, so the actual procedure is no more complicated than getting an IV. You will have to take some injections prior to this procedure.
4. The other 25% of the time, bone marrow is extracted from your hip bone with a needle. Usually this is done when the patient is a child. You will NOT feel the procedure as you will be under anesthesia. Afterward, your hip will be sore and you may have some muscle ache in the area.
5. You will be told to not lift anything heavy for a couple of weeks.
6. That’s it! Not pleasant of course, but hopefully the beauty of saving a life will make up for the inconvenience and discomfort. People who have done it say they would definitely do it again.

Click here for Delete Bone Cancer. All the info you need to join the registry is right there. Take a moment to consider what it would be like if you or someone you loved was waiting on the list for a match. Please join today.