Many of you have offered your good wishes for Vinay’s health— some of you have even taken the next step and become part of the database. Others— especially when they read these posts I keep beating you about the head (and hopefully heart) with— are reminded of their intention to get registered; they think, oh, I’ll make it to the next drive and do it then.
A very special opportunity to get swabbed is available to desis in what I still think of as the brownest city of them all— even if it’s a big apple and not a mango. This Sunday, in NYC, from 4-8 pm, show up at Pianos and not only will you increase the possibility of saving someone’s life, you may get to meet the man who has inspired this incredible campaign to paint the national database sepia. Vinay might be there. :) Please wish him a happy second wedding anniversary (July 3) for me, if you go.
If you can’t attend or you are not in the NYC area, please harass your loved ones. Get every South Asian person you know to consider becoming a committed donor; a list of the drives which are happening all over the country is here. While my constant posting about Vinay may insinuate otherwise, this is about all of us, not one of us. It’s scary to consider how close this can hit to home; I’ve lost two family members in three years to this disease. I may not know Vinay, but I don’t have to, to believe in what he and his team are going to do.
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Which diseases can be treated by marrow transplant?
Over 70 diseases including the leukemia’s, aplastic anemia, severe combined immune deficiency, sickle cell anemia and radiation poisoning are treated by marrow transplant.
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What exactly is a marrow / stem cell transplant?
Simply, it is the replacement of diseased blood stem cells from a health donor infused into a patient’s vein just like a blood transfusion. Within four to six weeks the transplanted marrow / stem cells begin to produce normal blood cells in the patient.
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Who can become a marrow / stem cell donor?
You must be between 18 and 60 years old, have no history of hepatitis, heart disease, cancer or AIDS, and sign a consent form allowing the Registry to include your HLA tissue type in its confidential files for future matching. See NMDP link below for more details: Donor information (NMDP) and Donor Eligibility Guidelines.
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How do I know if I am a match?
If you are found to be a possible match with a patient, the center in which you tested and/or the NMDP will contact you immediately and give you the option of proceeding to the next level/s of testing to insure final HLA compatibility with the patient.
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Who pays for these tests?
Not you - the patient or his/her medical insurance does.
What happens if I am a match?
If the match is confirmed the transplant can be scheduled but only with your legal consent after in-depth counseling and a thorough physical examination.
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Okay, now tell me how my marrow is collected?
Two procedures are available for stem cell collection.
1. Peripheral blood stem cell collection
(MOST current and common method)…..You are given small injections of Neupogen/Filgrastin for 3 to 5 days to force your marrow to overproduce marrow or stem cells which are then released into your circulating blood. The stem cells are collected by removing blood from a vein in your arm, passing it through a filter system, which collects the stem cells and returns the remaining blood to you…a 2 to 3 hour procedure.
2. Marrow harvest….
You are given light general anesthesia so that you feel nothing during the procedure. Only 2% to 3% of your marrow is withdrawn from the large crest of your hipbone through special sterile needles .. a 60 minute procedure. You may go home the same day.
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Are there any risks or side effects?
1. Peripheral blood stem cell collection (PBSC) …..You might experience some flu- like symptoms, slight bone pain, or a feeling of heaviness during the injections. These discomforts usually disappear soon after the collection is completed. This will be discussed in detail with you.
2. Marrow harvest…..Other than the remote chance of a reaction to anesthesia or an infection the risks are minimal. This will be explained to you in detail. You may experience some soreness in the lower back.
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If you were in Vinay’s shoes, you would want people to move beyond their fear and inertia. You would hope that they’d help, if they could. If this were your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your little brother or sister, your Dad…you’d be hoping and praying for someone to be a match. Well, you could be the match. And everyone who needs you IS someone’s sibling, parent, friend, beloved. This is the greatest expression of “community” I can think of— lives are at stake and we rally around those who need us, to support and heal them. If you are interested, please get to a drive in your area…while our enthusiasm and passion are infinite, our time is not.
Help?
