Drive-Up Bone Marrow Registry Drive

This drive-up bone marrow drive is in honor of National Blood Cancer Awareness Month and all blood cancer patients in need, including Emma Hall.

Emma was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia in early 2019 and the only cure for her disease is to receive a stem cell transplant from a matching donor. With no matching donors in her adopted family, Emma is relying on the bone marrow registry to save her life.

As an African American, Emma needs to be a black bone marrow donor between 18-56 yrs old. This is due to the fact that the best chance of finding a perfect match is with someone of the same ethnicity. Unfortunately, Emma has zero matches on the bone marrow registry.

Every year, 17,500 patients just like Emma will need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant to cure their blood cancer or disorder. This includes diseases like Sickle Cell Anemia and Multiple Myeloma, which disproportionately affect the African American community. However, because the registry lacks diversity, a majority of patients from African, Latin, and Asian descent have a harder time finding a matching donor.

Joining the registry is quick and easy – a simple cheek swab is all you need. Potential donors must be between the ages of 18 and 55, and in general good health.

PDD and TGMH are committed to creating a safe and healthy environment for everyone, including staff, volunteers, and participants. In addition to COVID safety measures and social distancing regulations, our drive-up bone marrow registry drive will be completely contactless and safe.