Thread: May I ask a personal favor of you?

Well, at least those of you over eighteen and 110 pounds.

Would you make an appointment to donate blood platelets tomorrow? And while you're donating, would you please seriously consider registering as a stem cell/bone marrow donor.

Donating platelets takes a bit longer than giving blood, and it can feel a little weird, but it's worth it. And they can get stem cells from your blood, so they don't have to drill holes in your bones.

Here are a couple of URLs for the U.S.

http://www.givelife2.org/donor/apher...sp#top%20idtop

http://www.marrow.org/cgi-bin/NETWOR...t_order=ctr_st

You will save a life. If you are of Azorean or Native American Indian descent, it might be the life of some-one very dear to me. They can't find a bone marrow donor, and without a transplant she will die. Probably very soon.

The rest of you are not off the hook; they are not certain that the very rare factor is due to her Azorean or NAI descent. Besides, there's some-one else out there whose heart is breaking because a person they love is dying.

So I am asking you, personally, to do this favor for me. We need your blood; please donate and register. And bring a friend.

you have to weigh 110 pounds for that? (I believe it's 2 pounds in 1 kilo?)

Originally Posted by Pendragon

you have to weigh 110 pounds for that? (I believe it's 2 pounds in 1 kilo?)

Google is nice for this

If you type "1 pound to kilo" in the search you get

1 pound = 0.45359237 kilogram

or

"110 pound to kilo"

110 pound = 49.8951607 kilogram

PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE ON YOUR CONTACT LIST.

My friends, as most of Eastern Massachusetts now knows, my niece Emily has leukemia and is hoping for a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, she has no match on the international registries.

So, her aunt Margaret O'Leary has started an e-drive. Those of you who can not attend any of the live-drives listed below have two options for registering as donors:


www.crir.org [click on To Register As a Donor]

www.giftoflife.org [click on DONORS & ONLINE REGISTRATION]

The Caitlin Raymond International Registry [CRIR] is for anyone covered by a non-ERISA employer's health plan in Massachusetts; Gift of Life requires a tax deductible donation of $18.

These sites, and www.marrow.org have lots of information on bone marrow donation.

A lot of people have asked how to help; it's easy. Forward this email to EVERYONE in your contact lists, and post the information on every message board you visit. We will find a match for Emily, and for all the others without a match.

Thanks, every-one.

Emily's Wicked Aunt Jean

Links:
http://www.crir.org/registerdonor.html
http://www.giftoflife.org/article.asp?ID=10
http://homepage.mac.com/dok/iblog/B1...253/index.html
http://www.bonemarrowtest.com/patien...dar_of_drives/

Live-drives:

BRING YOUR INSURANCE CARD!

January 14th:
The DANTE Club
3 Dante Terrace, Somerville
off Craigie St. at the intersection of Somerville Ave & Elm St
Saturday, January 14th, 10 am to 3 pm

January 21st:
The Elks Club
52 Long Pond Road, Plymouth
Saturday, January 21st, 9 am to 5 pm

January 21st & 22nd:
Milford Portuguese Club
19 Prospect Heights, Milford
Saturday, January 21st, 9 am to 5 pm
Sunday, January 22nd, 10 am to 4 pm

January 26th:
VFW Post 8502
843 State Road [Route 6], Westport
Thursday, January 26th, 2 pm to 8 pm

January 28th:
First Church [Congregational]
1 Meetinghouse Green [off route 1A/133], Ipswich
Saturday, January 28th, 10 am to 4 pm

January 29th:
Subway
151 Highland Street, Worcester
Sunday, Janudary 29th, Noon to 5 pm
[parking: corner of West & Highland behind the Sahara]

February 4th & 5th:
Holy Family Parish Hall
5 Sparhawk Street, Amesbury
Saturday, February 4th, 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday, February 5th, noon to 5 pm

We're gonna save a lot of lives.

j.

is there a donor fourm perhaps, or a thing like that? i can't help sorry , to young. hope they find someone though,

Thanks for responding.

You can't help my little beloved right now, but you will be able to help someone else when you are of age.

Remember and register.

Often times blood drives (i.e. red cross) will ask you if you'd like to register in the marrow "database." It's easy because they're already drawing from you, it's only a vile more.

but it's a 'vial' more. [This isn't a spelling nit-pick; 'vile' is a different word.]

BTW, I spoke with a marrow donor the other day; he said that it hurt less than the bruise you'd get walking into a desk.

'We' have signed up around 5,000 new donors in two states; 'our' drives are winding down a bit, but there are drives being held by other families, in other states.

More information:
Certain ethnic groups are in great demand as marrow donors [tissue type is inherited, so a non-relative match is more likely to be found in a person of the same ethnic descent].

People who identify as Black/African-American, Native American/Alaskan Native, or Hispanic/Latino can always be typed and registered for FREE through the Nation Marrow Donor Program [www.marrow.org]. [In some states, such a Massachusetts and California, health insurance companies must cover the cost of typing.]

There is also a serious need for people of 'mixed heritage' [go to the Mavin Foundation for information]. Such people can inherit an uncommon trait from each blood-line that leaves them very difficult to match.

That is actually our problem; and after about a dozen drives targeting the Azorean and Strombolian communities, we found out the combination indicates Native American descent.

Say what? We have no idea where that came from ...

Emily died at 1:30 today.

I didn't get to the hospital in time to say good-bye.

Whatever, she's gone home, and she is safe now.

But that is damned cold comfort.

Tonight I do not understand how to go forward.

I admit that I am asking for those who love, not those who are facing death, please seriously consider registering as a marrow donor. I know I will survive this loss, but I do not know why.

Originally Posted by j

Emily died at 1:30 today.

I didn't get to the hospital in time to say good-bye.

Whatever, she's gone home, and she is safe now.

But that is damned cold comfort.

Tonight I do not understand how to go forward.

I admit that I am asking for those who love, not those who are facing death, please seriously consider registering as a marrow donor. I know I will survive this loss, but I do not know why.

My sincere condolences, I'm very sorry and moved to hear of your loss. I never knew Emily yet I feel that she was very brave and awfully lucky to have someone who loved her as much as you. Its very difficult to know what to say in these moments. I can only hope that over time some wounds will heal.

Convincing people to donate body parts is not an easy thing to accomplish. Personally I've never taken the time to consider this option. Where I live, unless you specify no, your organs can be used if you die in an automobile accident. I'm ok with that because I would have no say, but I really should think about donating, even if its blood, while I'm alive. Emily's death should not be in vain and if she could leave a legacy then it will be a reminder for the rest of us to help our fellow human beings by giving a gift of life.

Thank you.

Emily did grace every life she touched, and through her illness she will have saved a lot of lives, through the thousands of people who registered as bone marrow donors. That's an impressive accomplishment for a life of any length.

Grief is so selfish.

[As for what to say at these times, you do very well.]

Aww that is an awful lost, but I can only agree with what the others said, she was so lucky to have someone like you who loved her so very much.

I will (when I am older) definetly consider and probably do marrow donations, and you should feel proud, because I will only be doing the marrow donations due to your explanation of how in demand it is.

Again, I can only send you my upmost sympathy, I know how it feels to loose a person you love.
-X-

Not ot be mean, but i am a very greedy person. I dont have to say more than that

I tried to donate blood but was told that I couldn't because I lived in England for too long (during the mad cow disease time). Is it only the US who will not accept blood (or platelets, or plasma) from people from the UK? Also, what about blood donation in the UK? Is anyone developing a test for mad cow disease?