National Bone Marrow Registry – Big Island Resident Needs Bone Marrow Transplant

UPDATE:

BONE MARROW REGISTRY EXTENDED TO MONDAY!! SPREAD THE WORD!!
Due to overwhelming response, the Bone Marrow Registry drive will continue tomorrow, Labor Day, 10am till 2pm KTA Puainako. If you didn’t make it down today, please come tomorrow. All ethnicities, ages 18-60, healthy people. Only need to fill out a questionnaire and swab your cheeks to register. Please come!!

Native Hawaiian patients have a special need

	Ke‘ala (Pauline Kealoha) Lee Loy Employed at Kamehameha Schools and a former teacher with the DOE, Ke‘ala was recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.

Of the 9 million potential donors registered in the National Marrow Donor Registry, only 0.1%, or 1/10 of one percent, of the donors are Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. This means that the probability of a Native Hawaiian finding a donor match is less than 3% (data as of March 2011). Caucasians have an 80% chance of finding a donor match, and Asians, Hispanics and Afro-Americans have a 15% chance.

You can help! First, spread the word and encourage Hawaiians and other under-represented minorities to register as a donor. Second, register yourself — all it takes is a cheek swab and a bit of paperwork.

Join the Marrow Registry

All you need is to:

1. Be between the ages of 18 and 60

2. Be willing to donate to any patient in need

3. Meet the health guidelines

Three opportunities to register in September 2012

Hawai‘i Island September 2 KTA Center 50 East Puainako St. Hilo, HI 96720

O‘ahu September 7-9 Hawai‘i Woman Expo 2012 Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall 777 Ward Avenue Honolulu, HI  96814

Maui September 27-30 Maui Fair 2012 211 Kanaloa Avenue Wailuku, HI  96793