Hi everyone,
My friend and I are putting together an event that will be taking place at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles on Saturday May 17th 9am-1pm in honor of her daughter (Hailey Kent) who was diagnosed with ALL at 3 months old and received her life saving transplant last May. The event is more like 3 events rolled into one - there will be a Blood Drive (blood will be going to children in need at the CHLA) and a Bone Marrow Registry Drive (with the National Marrow Donor Program) and a Celebrity Autograph Signing Session. If you live in the LA area or will be visiting the LA area please stop by and consider donating blood or registering to donate marrow.
Because of the type of forum this is, most of you have probably been deeply affected by someone you love needing blood transfusions or a bone marrow transplant. This could be your chance to helps others in similar circumstanes!
If you can't make it, you can still help and make a very positive difference ~ pass this around to all those you know and especially those in the LA area. The more people that come to the event the more lives that could be saved!
I'm sure you all already know the major needs and benefits there are to donating blood or marrow, but I will post this anyway.
10 REASONS TO DONATE BLOOD OR REGISTER TO DONATE BONE MARROW
*Donating Blood and Marrow may be two different things but they both have one goal: TO SAVE LIVES*
1. Someone needs blood every two seconds
2. Every year, thousands of adults and children need bone marrow transplants -- a procedure which may be their only chance for survival. Only 3 out of every 10 people that need bone marrow actually get a match. Those that do not get a match inevitably die
3. More than 4.5 million patients need blood transfusions each year in the U.S. and Canada.
4. Only 30% of patients find their bone marrow match through a sibling, while the other 70% have to look out side their family for a life saving match.
5. One pint of blood can save up to three lives.
6. During a Bone Marrow Transplant donors feel no needle injections and no pain during marrow donation because general or regional anesthesia is always used for this procedure.
7. Children being treated for cancer, premature infants and children having heart surgery need blood and platelets from donors of all types, especially type O.
8. Many patients, especially those from minority groups, cannot find a compatible bone marrow donor among those on the registry.
9. A patient could be forced to pass up a lifesaving organ, if compatible blood is not available to support the transplant.
10. YOU can save a life!