For Mother’s Day
Manolo says, the long-time internet friends of the Manolo will remember his internet friend the Debutaunt, who has been fighting the serious illness.
Now, from the Debutaunt and her sister comes news of something we can do to celebrate the Day of the Mother. Register with the National Marrow Donor Program.
Starting May 7th the National Marrow Donor Program is typing people for free!
In an effort to help all patients in need, the National Marrow Donor Program kicks off its national Thanks Mom Marrow Donor Drive on Monday, May 7, with a goal of adding 20,000 new donors to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry in two weeks. Thanks Mom will run May 7-21 and sponsor free marrow donor drives online at marrow.org and in more than 350 cities nationwide.
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60, in good health and willing to help any patient is eligible to join, free of charge, from May 7 - 21, at a donor drive in their city or by registering online.
This is emphatically the good cause.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
The Manolo is superfantastic. The friends of the Deb will be happy to learn that she recently celebrated her one year anniversary post bone marrow transplant, and that her doctors believe she is cured of her leukemia. She feels fortunate to have a match, and hopes that others can receiving the same blessings.
Becoming a member of the bone marrow registry couldn’t be easier, but usually there is a cost to be typed. During this Mother’s day drive, it is free, and you can get a typing kit by just filling out an online form.
Being a donor used to hurt a long time ago, but for most cancers, the donor needs to only donate blood stem cells–a process not much more involved than giving platelets. Tis a miracle, no?
May 10th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Thank you Manolo for bring this to my attention; my typing kit is on the way!
May 10th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
If you donate blood, the blood bank can just take an extra couple of vials for the bone marrow registry. That way, it’s at no cost to you, and also you only get stuck with one needle. :)
May 10th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Oh Manolo! You truly are superfantastic. You really are my favorite on my “favorites” list. Your posts always cheer me up beyond measure. I will be sure to make mention of you on our new fundraising site. We are now on a mission to raise a million or more to cure this horrible disease.
Oh, and the cheek scraping… not really as bad as it sounds. It’s more of a giant Q-tip that is swabbed inside each cheek. Like the action on CSI to catch criminals with DNA samples.
Thank you thank you thank you!
May 10th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I just tried to register, but one of my medical issues prevents me. :( Rest assured, I would if I could!
May 10th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
I have been on the registry for many years. Someday, I hope to get the call that I can actually do something for whomever needs my marrows.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Manolo, way to support your friends! You’re truly a saint. A fashionably opinionated saint, but a saint nonetheless.
We at Shoeflyer have posted some suggestions for Mother’s Day gifts if Manolo is interested.
Best,
Shoeflyer
May 10th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Kimberly, you are not alone. I couldn’t register either, due to an autoimmune disorder. What a bummer.
May 11th, 2007 at 9:33 am
My husband and I registered a few years back when a good friend of ours was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Neither of us was a match for her but we hope someone, somewhere can use our lymphocytes.
May 11th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I have been a registered donor for many years now. In fact, about two years ago I was contacted as a possible match. It turned out I was not a match that time, but I hope that one day I will be.