If you're between the ages of 18 and 44, you can save someone with a process as simple as brushing your teeth.
Last week we brought you the story of Kaylee Carew, a local teen who is in need of a bone marrow match.
"It's very simple to do. It' takes about 10 minutes to see if you might be a match for somebody, we do a health history screening and then we swab the cheeks of your mouth to see if you might be a match," Jon Hudson said, the community engagement lead at Be The Match GenCure.
Kaylee has a very limited time to find a match. The problem is her Japanese heritage makes finding a match very difficult. In fact, only 4 percent of potential donors are mixed race.
"That's what's so beautiful about her. She's sees the need," Hudson said. "She see that Hispanic Patients are not receiving marrow matches. African Americans, mixed race. Even Caucasian patients, not every Caucasian patient receives a transplant because they can't find a match."
More than 300 people have been tested to try to help Kaylee in South Texas alone. If you are a match, most of the time the process to donate bone marrow is similar to donating plasma. Otherwise, you could have a simple outpatient procedure to donate.
"I will say that we need committed donors also," Hudson said. "That's the biggest point I want to drive home is because, anyone can sit here and swab the cheeks of their mouth but when we call you, it's so important that you answer that call and that you actually donate to that patient in need because it can be a cure. You can give someone a cure to their disease. A rebirth on earth, you can do that."
There will be a Marrow Donor Registry Drive on May 5 in the UTHSCA Commons area from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
