2008 Woodie Awards
Mu Epsilon Delta's bone marrow screening success
Lucas DuRall
Issue date: 2/20/07 Section: Campus News
The second annual bone marrow screening was held on campus and turned out to be a great success.
The UTM medical fraternity, Mu Epsilon Delta, was a co-sponsor along with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
There were approximately 75 pledges, which means there were 75 people that said they would donate their bone marrow when they are called on to do so.
A bone marrow screening isn't your typical drive where people donate. A person pledges when there is a time where their particular marrow is needed; then, they will go and donate.
The volunteers each had a swab of their inner cheek to see what kind of cell type they are. In the future, when there is a patient out there that is in need of a marrow transplant and match the volunteer's cell type, they will be contacted and asked to come to the hospital and donate.
Such patients that are in need of these transplants are people with cancer or who are going through chemotherapy. Another disease that warrants donation is aplastic anemia.
Currently, there is a UTM student battling aplastic amenia, and, according to NMDP's Web site there is a 30% chance for a match to be found within his family. On this campus someone could be carrying his cell match and high turn-out is needed to increase the odds for finding a match.
"There is a student on campus that has aplastic anemia. He was our inspiration on having this drive for he is just one of the very many in America that has this fatal disease and need the services that we provide," said Charles Mitchell, president of Mu Epsilon Delta.
"This is the second time to work with the NMDP and it has been a pleasure both times.
This year was more successful than last and we hope next year will be even better," said Mitchell.
In Tennessee, donation clinics are located in Memphis, Knoxville and Johnson City.
NMDP was created in 1986 and is currently helping 200 people receive bone marrow transplants. There are approximately 27,000 volunteers each month and 5 million in all.
For more information contact Mitchell by phone at 931-349-9293.
Allie T. Thomas contributed to this report.
The UTM medical fraternity, Mu Epsilon Delta, was a co-sponsor along with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
There were approximately 75 pledges, which means there were 75 people that said they would donate their bone marrow when they are called on to do so.
A bone marrow screening isn't your typical drive where people donate. A person pledges when there is a time where their particular marrow is needed; then, they will go and donate.
The volunteers each had a swab of their inner cheek to see what kind of cell type they are. In the future, when there is a patient out there that is in need of a marrow transplant and match the volunteer's cell type, they will be contacted and asked to come to the hospital and donate.
Such patients that are in need of these transplants are people with cancer or who are going through chemotherapy. Another disease that warrants donation is aplastic anemia.
Currently, there is a UTM student battling aplastic amenia, and, according to NMDP's Web site there is a 30% chance for a match to be found within his family. On this campus someone could be carrying his cell match and high turn-out is needed to increase the odds for finding a match.
"There is a student on campus that has aplastic anemia. He was our inspiration on having this drive for he is just one of the very many in America that has this fatal disease and need the services that we provide," said Charles Mitchell, president of Mu Epsilon Delta.
"This is the second time to work with the NMDP and it has been a pleasure both times.
This year was more successful than last and we hope next year will be even better," said Mitchell.
In Tennessee, donation clinics are located in Memphis, Knoxville and Johnson City.
NMDP was created in 1986 and is currently helping 200 people receive bone marrow transplants. There are approximately 27,000 volunteers each month and 5 million in all.
For more information contact Mitchell by phone at 931-349-9293.
Allie T. Thomas contributed to this report.
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