In the life of me.

Some of you know by now that a little girl in my husband’s unit just got diagnosed with leukemia. There are a few of us working on getting our FRG’s (Family Readiness Group) to contact Red Cross, our clinic, and legal to get a drive running to get our blood tested for possible compatable marrow. We’re praying it gets approved. Even if we can’t match her, think of how many other children with this illness we can save. I’m asking those of you at home to go get your blood tested. Need more info? Well I’ve got it and you’re in for a read.

Thank you,
Jen

Hopefulness for the future
The drugs and the treatments which has been considered effective against the leukemia were developed by clinical and basic investigations from all over the world, reaching spectacular results in the last 30 years. New antileukemic drug combinations have allowed higher remission percentages. The hopefulness for the future resides in turn all these remissions into cures.
But there is yet a high need of other treatments to fight against the leukemia. An encouraging treatment is centered in the patient´s natural immunology to beat this illness.
The bone marrow transplant is an encouraging treatment for patients having leukemia and lymphomas. The transplant is limited by age and, for being successful, it is necessary to be compatibility between the receiver and the giver as in a blood transfusion.
Nowadays, methods to stimulate the progenitor cells of the blood are being used, and then when the cells are obtained they are used as an authologo transplant, reducing the morbidity and mortality of the method. At the present time, many patients are forced to this technique increasing the cure percentages.
The investigators are trying to find out why certain people get this illness, which test it can be done in order to know who are more at risk of getting it and how could be prevent. At the same time, new treatments for extend the life and cure more patients with leukemia are being developed.

Donating Bone Marrow
What is Marrow?
Marrow is a substance found inside bones. It resembles blood and contains blood stem cells, which produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets important for carrying oxygen, fighting infection and helping to control bleeding.
Blood stem cells, the cells that transplant patients need to make healthy new marrow, usually live in bone marrow, but are also released naturally, in small numbers, into the circulating (peripheral) blood. A medication called Filgrastim will dramatically increase the release of blood stem cells into the circulating blood so that enough cells for transplant can be collected directly from the bloodstream.
Why Register to Donate Bone Marrow?
Every year, thousands of adults and children need bone marrow transplants — a procedure which may be their only chance for survival. Although some patients with leukemia or other cancers have a genetically matched family member who can donate, about 70 percent do not. These patients’ lives depend on finding an unrelated individual with a compatible tissue type, often within their own ethnic group, who is willing to donate marrow for them.
As of January 2006 the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has facilitated over 20,000 unrelated bone marrow transplants and the national Registry has over 6 million volunteer donors. In the Puget Sound region, our local donor center has more than 60,000 volunteer donors on the national Registry. There is a critical need for more volunteer donors. Many patients, especially people of color, cannot find a compatible donor among those on the Registry. Patients and donors must have matching tissue types, and these matches are most often found between people of the same racial and ethnic background. A large, ethnically diverse group of prospective donors will give more patients a chance for survival.
Tissue Typing Made Easier!
Those interested in joining the NMDP Registry must have their HLA tissue type determined. It used to be that a blood sample was collected from the potential donor, but now, in order to make joining the NMDP Registry even easier, Puget Sound Blood Center is introducing the “buccal swab” collection method. This method allows the donor to swab the interior of their mouth to collect enough cells to be HLA tissue typed. This collection method will be available at the beginning of August at all Puget Sound Blood Center Donor Centers and all blood drives.
Donor Eligibility
Donors joining the NMDP Registry must be between 18-60 years old and in good health, and must meet the NMDP Donor Eligibility Guidelines. For questions about donor suitability, contact the Puget Sound Blood Center at bonemarrow@psbc.org or 206-292-1897 or 1-800-DONATE1 x1897. Donors who are not suitable to join the national Registry can help patients in other ways such as making a financial contribution to tissue type other donors. See funding information below.
Steps to Donating Marrow
• If you match the tissue type of a patient seeking a donor, additional testing will confirm the results. You will meet with donor counselors at the Blood Center who will help you make an informed decision about donating your blood stem cells.
• The marrow collection process usually does not require an overnight stay in the hospital. The procedure itself is painless, because it is performed under anesthesia. But, for an average of two weeks following the procedure, most donors experience sore hips and some must restrict their activities. Even with some soreness, most donors report that donating marrow is a very positive experience and that they would be willing to donate again.
• The donated marrow is transfused to the patient, whose diseased cells have been destroyed by intensive chemotherapy. In time, the donated marrow engrafts and begins producing healthy blood cells.