BE THE MATCH!

Working with pediatric cancer patients can be very difficult because these children are fighting everyday for their lives. We celebrate with the survivors and remember the ones that fought hard to the end. More than likely you know someone with cancer, whether it is a family member or friend. Odds are that you probably know a child with cancer, too. I personally know a lot of children with cancer because I get the privilege to work with them every weekend at the hospital. These children are amazing and are so strong and brave. These children sometimes go through more in a week  (procedures, lab draws, tests, medications, transfusions) than some people go though in a lifetime. I wish that no child ever had to endure any of these things, but until a cure is found, these children will continue to go though all these things.

This is why I am begging you to do what you can to help save these children's and adult's lives by doing just a few simple tasks. First, people that have cancer are constantly needing blood and platelet transfusions. I beg you to please go donate. The 30 minutes of your day and single needle poke could in essence save a life. I am a proud blood donor and I go every time that I am able, which is every 2 months, to donate. I am just upset with myself that I waited so long to become a consistent donor. I am getting pretty close to finishing off my 2 gallon.

Sometimes when the chemotherapy treatment that patients are on doesn't work as expected they are faced with having to undergo a bone marrow transplant. The second task that I ask of you is to become a member of the National Marrow Donor Program (bethematch.com). I am currently in the process of doing this myself. With your help an individual could become cancer free. To become a donor is quite simple. You just have to go online and submit an application and they send you a kit in the mail, which consists of a couple mouth swabs. Then you return the kit and you get placed on the registry. Now being an actual donor consists of much more, but the first steps are getting registered.

I give because I am currently in good health and I can easily spare some blood to help someone that isn't. I also want to be on the donor registry because I have seen first hand some patients that had to undergo this procedure and I know how difficult of a time that it can be. If I could help someone by being the best possible match for them then it is worth it. As our pastor said recently in a message "If we don't help our fellow man, then who is going too?" He also told this story about two men that met while out fishing on vacation. The two men upon first glance looked like they would have nothing in common, except for fishing. However, over the next few days these two men began talking and found out that they actually had a lot in common. They had both been married for a long time to their wives, with 2 children a piece, and had both served in the military. Only major difference they seemed to find was that one of the men was in kidney failure and needed a kidney transplant. The other man went home and told his wife that he was going to donate a kidney to his new friend. He went to get tested and sure enough he was a perfect match for this man he had just met 3 days ago. This message and story at church just really touched me and helped me make the decision to join the national bone marrow registry and to sign the back of my driver's license to become an organ donor.

So, the third task is to become an organ donor. This subject is a little more difficult for some people. There are many misconceptions out there about how organ donation works. However, it all comes down to a decision, To be or not to be a donor. After you make this decision you need to discuss it with your family because in the end they will be making the decisions if the unfortunate does happen. I won't get into all the details of how organ donation works, but I just want you to know that there are thousands of people who could benefit from your donation. I again have had the privilege to take care of many people both waiting and recovering from a transplant. Some of these people can now live a somewhat normal lifestyle and it is all because of organ donors.

Now back to where we talked about how we all knew someone with cancer. I am sure that if that person asked you to give blood or see if you were a bone marrow match then you would do it? Right? Well, why not help out another family that is in need so you can save their loved one. You never will know as a donor how many lives you truly effect, because not only do you save that 1 individual, but you give that much hope to everyone that loves your recipient. So, please BE THE MATCH!

Thanks for reading and God Bless!

UPDATE: My kit came in the mail and I did my four cheek swabs and sent it back in to the company in order to get on the active registry list.

It was extremely easy to complete the kit. 

Please sign up to donate! You could save a life!