Take Action!Be a Partner. Save a Life.
Marrow and blood stem cell transplants are vital, life-changing treatments for people with leukemia, lymphoma and many other diseases. Daily men, women and children are searching the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry for a lifesaving donor and a hopeful cure.
But the sad fact is, today only two out of every 10 patients will receive the transplant that could save their lives. Your support is important! Please take the time to get involved with our life-saving efforts so that more patients can access the treatment they so desperately need.
A partnership with the NMDP at Carter BloodCare provides a unique opportunity to engage in a program that saves lives. Individuals can register as donors or become volunteers and advocates for the program.
Organizations and groups can join forces with the NMDP to:
• Host a drive. Join the hundreds of organizations holding drives.
• Fund the future. Cover tissue typing costs and support patients.
• Engage your community. Spread the word that now is the time to make a difference.
Check out the links in our resource section. You may also download the PDFs for more information. For a listing of our upcoming donor drives, go to the News and Events page to view your opportunities to register as a potential marrow donor.
Still have questions? Visit marrow.org for more information.
Get Registered
Registering with the National Marrow Donor Program is simple. When you register, you give us your contact information, a brief medical history, a cheek cell sample and consent for typing the cheek cell sample. Your cell typing information is then tested and stored in a secure database where it will be compared for patient searches.
To be a member of the Registry, you need to:
• Be between the ages of 18 & 60
• Be willing to donate to any patient in need
• Meet the health guidelines
If your tissue type matches a searching patient in need of a lifesaving transplant, you will be contacted and asked to donate a small amount of blood for testing. Depending on this confirmatory typing, you may be the only one who can save the patient’s life. If a match is confirmed, you will be given the unique opportunity to give the precious gift of life. The collection procedures are relatively easy and painless.
You may register at any Carter BloodCare Donor Center. There is a tax-deductible cost from $25.00 up to $52.00 for the initial test. On occasions, we are awarded funds and can even offer this testing at no cost. Please call the NMDP office at 214-217-5663 to find out the current cost of testing or to be placed on a waiting list until funds are available.
You may also register at any of our community donor drives. Frequently, a sponsor will pay the tissue typing costs when hosting a donor drive. Most drives have some funding allocated. See the News and Events page for a list of donor drives. You may also join the registry online at marrow.org/join.
After you are listed as a potential donor, your information is available for all searching patients in need of a transplant. When you become a member of the Registry, you join the global movement of more than 10 million donors who stand ready to give someone a future.
It is also important to keep your information updated after you register. Keeping your contact information and health status up-to-date ensures that you can be reached when someone needs the gift of life. If we can’t locate you once you’ve been matched, you could give false hope to the people who need you most.
Even with a registry of millions, there are many patients waiting and hoping, unable to find a match. You could be the one a patient needs. Join today.
National Marrow Donor Program
The Marrow Foundation
Financial Donation
The NMDP needs more than just marrow donors. We need monetary donations to help us continue our lifesaving efforts. Tissue typing tests are costly at $52.00 per donor. This test is needed to identify potential donors.
When you make a financial donation, you bring those who need a lifesaving marrow transplant one step closer to finding their match. Your support delivers hope and a cure.
Volunteering
Volunteers are always a critical component to success. The Carter BloodCare NMDP staff welcomes volunteers who help in the NMDP office, at donor drives, at special events and with raising funds. The NMDP is fortunate to have thousands of people per year donate time to assist with pre-drive and day-of-drive tasks at drives, in the office and with fundraising.
Office assistants provide much needed clerical and administrative support for the donor center. Volunteers may be asked to place labels on brochures, fold letters, make phone calls, file or prepare consents for scanning.
Community service volunteers who are required to complete hours for traffic violations or DUIs are welcomed at the NMDP office or as event assistants.
Event assistants are individuals who are willing to help pitch in at drives. Their commitment may begin with the pre-drive phase, helping with promotions and leveraging their social networks. Most often assistance is needed for cultural or special language needs. Volunteers may be asked to instruct donors on proper swabbing techniques, greet and manage the prospective donors, educate donors, or label swab kits.
Volunteer ambassadors on the other hand, are looking for an opportunity to have a long-term relationship with the NMDP. They will be willing to spend more time with the NMDP as demonstrated by:
• Attending training
• Participating at multiple drives and/or creating drive opportunities
• Recruiting donors without NMDP staff
• Completing medical screenings at drives
• Making presentations
• Organizing special events
• Raising funds
Volunteer couriers transport lifesaving stem cells from Carter BloodCare donors to the transplant centers who await the product. Additional training, financial responsibility, NMDP Director approval, and a long-term commitment to the NMDP mission are required from a volunteer prior to qualification for this opportunity.
To become a volunteer, contact Eva Trevino at 214-351-8156
Individuals interested in being drive volunteers or ambassadors can complete a volunteer application here.
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