Bone marrow donations are critical to the survival of patients in need! 70% of all of the patients who need a bone marrow transplant will NOT recieve one because there is no matching donor. If more people register, there will be more matches. You can be the miracle for someone who may think they are out of options. Join the registry and become a part of something bigger than yourself!
Bone marrow is a tissue found inside of the bones. However, the reason for bone marrow transplants is due to a precious presence in the bone marrow; bone marrow contains undifferentiated cells called stem cells. These stem cells are capable of differentiating and maturing into white blood cells (they fight infection), platelets (they help blood clot), and red blood cells ( they carry oxygen to the body from the lungs) as the body needs each of type of cell.
There are many disorders and diseases that require a bone marrow transplant to correct the body's problem. Here are a few of the most common disorders:
There are many forms of cancer that a bone marrow transplant can help. The most common are leukemia and lymphoma. Leukemia occurs due to 1 abnormal cell that begins to replicate and then causes chaos throughout the body and production of other blood cells. Lymphoma occurs when the cells in the lymph nodes replicate rapidly and produce tumors (made of the white blood cells).
Also, when cancers are treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation, the cancerous cells are killed as well as the healthy stem cells. Bone marrow transplants replace these damaged cells.
There are also some forms of anemia that can be treated with bone marrow transplants. Aplastic anemia occurs when the bone marrow doesn't produce enough blood cells. Sickle cell anemia occurs when the red blood cells are C-shaped causing them to stick to blood vessels and accumulate into clumps which blocks blood flow.
There are many other diseases that involve some sort of malfunction of the production of cells and can be treated with a bone marrow transplant. Victims of these diseases are running out of time. Your registration increases the chance of a match and successful transplant! Join today with the Be The Match Registry!
Citations: www.marrow.org/
http://www.psbc.org/programs/marrow.htm
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What a thoughtful and enlightining article.
ReplyDeleteWow, Im glad somebody has taken the effort to write such a detailed article on such an improtant issue
ReplyDeleteVery informative on the issues concerning bone marrow transplants and the uses of stem cells. Great Job!
ReplyDeleteI think i'm going to register today! thanks for the info
ReplyDeletethis article contains the information i needed to make my choice today!! im glad i can finally take the step to make a difference in somebody's life. written like a true college thesis!!
ReplyDeleteKudos on the article ive already donated due to this persausive literature.
ReplyDeleteVery informative and interesting! Makes me want to donate..
ReplyDeletethis article has opened my eyes to the cause. very detailed and thorough. awesome job!
ReplyDeleteWOW I had no idea that bone marrow donations were so essential! What an informative blog :)
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother had to get a bone marrow transplant a couple of years ago before she passed away and although I would hear about all the medical procedures she went through, I never fully understood what was going on in her body. After reading this blog, I understand more thoroughly what a bone marrow transplant was and what my grandmother had to go through. This is well written and it makes me want to help someone in need and donate.
ReplyDeleteawesome
ReplyDeletethis is cool caroline i didnt know any of that haha
ReplyDelete-julia connell
this is really good caroline. I honestly knew very little about bone marrow transplants, other than that it saves lifes. I am glad to know the reasons for which it helps, as well as the diseases it helps.
ReplyDeleteVery informative. I was unaware of how much of a difference i could make with a donation and was also unaware of how marrow can help the body
ReplyDeleteWow. Thank you for all the useful information. I was actually already signed up as a donor, but this article has helped my qualms to disappear somewhat.
ReplyDeleteSo let me get this straight, it does not hurt to donate bone marrow? If it doesn't hurt then more people should be doing this since it can save someone's life. Thank you for putting this information out into the community. How do you sign up for a bone marrow drive?
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting info! i never knew any of this! thanks!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting! I didn't know bone marrow transplants could be so helpful.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting! i always thought it was extremely painful..i never considered giving Bone Marrow but after reading this it doesn't sound so bad!
ReplyDeleteThis detailed article just shows how one person could make such a big difference in someone else's life by giving them the chance to live by donating bone marrow. More people should consider donating, as they would definitely be saving lives!
ReplyDeleteMy first thoughts about donating bone marrow sounded very painful, but since i read your article you have enlightened me with the importance of donating bone marrow and how it can save many lives and is a very painless process. Great article, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteWow. This is article is such an intellectual enlightenment. I was never aware of the lives that can be saved by such an easy process. Thankyou for spreading your knowledge!
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting! I never knew about how bone marrow transplants affected the diseases that they are used to treat! Thanks for the new info.
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ReplyDeleteThis really helped me understand exactly what bone marrow transplant is and how important it is. I believe it's so important for everyone to recognize how serious this issue is.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very informative article! I was always under the impression that donating bone marrow was a complicated and painful procedure. I will definitely register!
ReplyDeleteSusan
I can't think of ANYTHING more valuable than life!!! How cool it would be to save someone's life by donating bone marrow. Thank you for posting this blog, Ms. Lewis!
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