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As a former nurse for kids with pediatric cancer, I am excited to share that during the month of January you can join the National Marrow Donor Registry for FREE.
Normally it costs $100 to offset the lab costs, but right now the American Express Foundation is paying for anyone that registers during January!
I urge everyone to consider joining the registry. It takes 1 minute to get set up online, and then within a week you will get a kit in the mail. Your lab kit is very simple, just swab the inside of your cheek with a cotton swab that they send, and then mail it back (in a prepaid envelope).
I’ve been part of the registry now for the past 4 years. I’ve never had a call that I was needed, but I would love to help someday if I did match someone that needed it. As a donor you would spend an afternoon in the hospital, with an IV and nothing more than what you would do donating blood. You’ll be back to full steam the next day, and your body will completely recover and make new marrow within a few weeks.
There are so many patients just waiting to hear that a match is out there. Having actually set kids up and spent the day with them as these transplants happen, I long for every person to help.
I know some of you don’t want to, that’s cool. For everyone else that is even a bit interested, head over and read about the registry and how easy it is to help.
