Be the Match registry held in Tempe tomorrow

November 06, 2009

<a href="http://www.marrow.org/">For more information on Sun Devil Family Charities click here</a><separator></separator><a href="http://www.marrow.org/">For more information on the National Bone Marrow program, click here</a><separator></separator>On October 2, 1999, Sun Devils rallied to be a potential donor for former ASU offensive lineman Joe Cajic, who was in need of a donor for a life saving bone marrow transplant. Joe found a donor and on November 3, 2009, he celebrated his 10th year cancer free. Sun Devil Family Charities founding members had originally united to help Joe Cajic find a donor and have continued this effort for other patients need a bone marrow donor.<separator></separator>On Saturday, November 7, 2009, Sun Devil Family Charities is hosting a recruitment drive to raise awareness about the need for marrow donors, and perhaps find a matching donor for the many families looking for a donor.<separator></separator>ASU students, faculty and alumni can take the first step to save a life by joining the Be The Match Registry between 12-6 p.m. using a simple cheek swab. The event will be held at Sixth Street Park (Sixth and Myrtle) in Tempe, just east of Tempe City Hall.<separator></separator>Donors with diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds are especially critical, as patients in need of a transplant are most likely to match someone of their own race and ethnicity.<separator></separator>For thousands of patients with life-threatening diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, a marrow transplant from an unrelated donor is their best or only hope for a cure. These patients, like Joe Cajic, depend on the Be The Match Registry to find a match - and a second chance at life. While many patients do find the life-saving match they need each year, more donors are needed to help increase the likelihood that all patients will find a life-saving match. Financial contributions and volunteers are also needed to help save lives.<separator></separator>ABOUT SUN DEVIL FAMILY CHARITIES Sun Devil Family Charities (SDFC) is an all volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the purpose to support alumni, students, faculty, and staff of Arizona State University and their immediate families who need financial assistance resulting from a medical necessity. Funds raised at SDFC events help families pay for medical bills and co-pays resulting from devastating medical illnesses.<separator></separator>ABOUT THE NATIONAL MARROW DONOR PROGRAM® (NMDP) AND BE THE MATCH The NMDP operates the Be The Match Registry and partners with a global network of leading hospitals, cord blood banks, laboratories and recruiters. As a leader in the field of marrow and cord blood transplantation, the NMDP facilitates transplants worldwide, conducts research to improve survival and quality of life, and provides education to health care professionals and patients. Since it began operations in 1987, the NMDP has provided more than 35,000 transplants to help give patients a second chance at life.