Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Registry Drive Is Sunday

Friends and family of a Trenton woman who lost her battle with cancer last year are organizing a bone marrow/stem cell registry drive this weekend.

Brandy White died of complications from lymphoma on June 8, 2009. She had at first been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and after undergoing treatments, was in remission for about a year before being diagnosed with Leukemia. She underwent a donor stem cell transplant, but died from a complication before it was known if the transplant had worked. During her illness, Mrs. White had often spoke of her desire to organize a registry drive in Trenton to raise awareness of the need for available donors and after her death, her family and friends vowed to make that dream come true.
The drive is being organized through the “Be a Match” Foundation and will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday in the lower level of the First Baptist Church. Those wanting to become part of the registry will be asked to submit to a cheek swab. Potential donors must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and free of any serious illness such as HIV, Hepatitis or insulin-required Diabetes. Persons who have recently undergone back surgery are also excluded. Those participating are asked to bring a photo ID, as well as provide contact information for two family members to assist in contacting them if they should be deemed a potential match. Patients who are of mixed race have a harder time finding a match, so potential donors mixed race are particularly encouraged to take part.
There is no cost to become part of the registry, although donations will be accepted. In addition, there is no cost to the donor if they are matched and agree to provide the bone marrow or stem cells to the patient. It was also noted that rarely is the donation taken from the hip, as was the case in the past, something that many found painful.
During her hospitalization Mrs. White became friends with a woman, Jessica Devine, who underwent a successful stem cell transplant. Ms. Devine, who has relatives from this area, will be on hand Sunday to visit with those signing up for the registry.
Persons who were part of a bone marrow registry conducted here in the 1990’s should still be a part of the registry unless they have turned 61 or requested to have their name removed.