Will YOU Help Save A Delta Zeta Sister’s Life?

Bone Marrow Drive for Caroline Terry

Caroline is a Junior in the Delta Zeta Pledge Class of Fall 2003, at University of South Carolina in Columbia.  She is currently located in Atlanta, GA, where she is receiving her Chemotherapy treatments at Emory Hospital.  She was diagnosed with Acute myelogenous leukemia in November of 2004, and she is currently on her third round of Chemotherapy.  Leukemia is a cancerous disease of blood and bone marrow.  Bone marrow is responsible for forming new blood cells. When a patient has Leukemia there is an uncontrolled increase in the number of blood cells formed.  Chemotherapy is used to kill all of the cancer cells, but it may also kill the normal cells.  A Bone Marrow Transplant is needed to replenish the number of normal blood cells.  Caroline’s family has already been tested, but unfortunately no one matched her bone marrow type.  Therefore, we will be hosting a Bone Marrow Drive in order to try to find a match for Caroline. 

The Sweet Caroline Bone Marrow Drive

When? 

April 9th from 2-4

Where?

Blatt PE center athletic fields at USC. (Columbia)

NOTE:

2 previous drives by Delta Zeta produced 605 potential donors! ...and we're still searching for that perfect match for Caroline. Please help!

What?  Bone Marrow Drive involves the initial process listed below & signing up for the Registry

Initial Testing Procedure

The initial testing procedure involves simply taking one vial of blood.  That’s it!  It only takes 3 seconds to draw the blood!  Your blood will be tested to see if your HLA type matches with Caroline’s type.  If it does match, then you will be contacted to go through further testing.  Everyone will fill-out paper work to sign-up for the National Marrow Donor Program.  The cost is free, and if you match someone you will be given the choice to proceed or not to proceed.

Websites:

www.marrow.org

Blood Marrow Donation Process

Ok, this is ONLY if your bone marrow matches with Caroline’s.  There is a 1:20,000 chance that anyone will match (according to the American Bone Marrow Donor Registry), so we need as many people as possible to come out and get tested.  Furthermore, if you DO match you will still be given the option at that point in time to proceed with the donation or not.

There are a few different processes that are used to extract Bone Marrow.  The process used will depend on what Caroline needs at the time of the transplant.  The two main types of donation processes involving a donor are Bone Marrow Collection and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Collection.  The Bone Marrow Collection involves the donor going under general anesthesia, so that NO pain is felt.  The physician inserts hollow needles in the hipbone.  Usually one on each side (left and right).  A small drill may be used, but it is no larger than half of the width of your pinky nail.  Syringes are then used to remove about a quart of Bone Marrow, which your body will replace within a few weeks.  The procedure is usually an outpatient procedure (you’d go home that day), but sometimes it requires a one-night stay in the hospital.  The patient will experience a sore lower back and fatigue for a few days, but most people return to their normal routines in 2-3 days.  The lesions from the surgery do NOT require any stitches!  

The Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Collection involves a Filgrastim injection for 4-5 days to increase the number of stem cells (blood forming cells from bone marrow) in the blood flow.  The next step is an apheresis collection, which occurs by drawing blood from one arm that is filtered for stem cells and returned into the other arm.  This procedure takes 4-6 hours.  Flu-like symptoms may be felt during the injections, but usually cease after the apheresis collection.

Again, this is ONLY for anyone that matches Caroline’s bone marrow type.  Please do not let this prevent you from being tested.  This is only to clear up the horror-stories going around.  Patients say that the procedure was not that painful because you are given anesthetics, and that they would do it again to save another life!

For more info about this particular drive, please e-mail us!

This web page created by Robin Whittemore in honor of Caroline. Robin is also searching for a bone marrow donor. Won't you help us by being tested?