Prior to Robin Roberts, the ultra-popular Good Morning America host, being diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), the vast majority of Americans were not familiar with the condition. Put simply, MDS is a group of bone marrow conditions in which the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells and is an oncological condition. While medications, chemotherapy, and radiation can be used as treatment options, a bone marrow transplant is often the best, if not only, hope for successful treatment.
So what does a bone marrow transplant actually entail? The first and most important step, is finding a bone marrow donor that has healthy cells that are compatible with the patient's cells. While this may seem like an easy task of just asking relatives, 7 out of 10 patients do not have a family member that is compatible, which can present a large road block for those who are very eagerly waiting and whose life depends on it.
Enter Be The Match!
After Robin Roberts went public and documented her tumultuous battle, the Be The Match registry (a nonprofit organization run by the National Marrow Donor Program) received an 1800% spike in amount of donors they had. While the star power Robin Roberts has and used to promote awareness to MDS and the Be The Match foundation, it is clear that the ease of signing up to be someone's opportunity certainly also played a role in this spike of good will.
After answering some very basic health questions, Be The Match promptly sends you a kit in the mail that is smaller than an interoffice envelope. Its contents include simple instructions, 4 cotton swabs, and bar codes to attach to the swabs for identification purposes.
The first steps in being a lifeline to a patient of MDS (or a slew of other medical conditions), starts with just a simple cheek swab. That's it! Seriously!
While the chance of actually being a match to a patient is minimal, 1 in 500 Be The Match members will actually be a match. The simple step of submitting a check swab will help ensure a brighter future for an MDS patient and those with other bone marrow conditions.
As discussed in Mary Lang's article on organ donation, The Hero Inside Us, we saw how medical donations could make us all a hero in someone's life. The ease of checking an organ donation box when you renew your drivers license made it so very easy for those who are open to have the opportunity to contribute, should the situation arise.
Be The Match is even easier and the long line at the DMV is not even involved! Considering the simple cheek swab can be done in the privacy of your own home, why not request your kit today?
