Pitt Bone Marrow Drive

If you live/work near the University of Pittsburgh, please take a few minutes out of your day to check out this VERY important event:

PITT is hosting a bone marrow drive in honor of two members of our community -

Seun Adebiyi (PITT '06) is 26 years old and a recent graduate of the Yale Law School. He is trying to make history as the first Nigerian delegate to compete in the Winter Olympics, where he would compete in the sport of skeleton. In June 2009, Seun was diagnosed with two rare and aggressive forms of cancer: lymphoblastic lymphoma and stem-cell leukemia. Most likely, Seun's only chance for survival is a bone marrow transplant, but he is facing grim odds. African-Americans comprise only 8% of the registry, and receive transplants in the US only 17% of the time. Seun's goal is to recruit 10,000 new donors for DKMS.

A member of the Pittsburgh community, 16 year old Amy Katz, is fighting leukemia. In 2003, Amy was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML). CML is a type of leukemia that is rare for someone her age. The only known cure for her cancer is a stem cell transplant. Her doctors have searched the worldwide registry for a stem cell donor and have failed to find a match. But the search continues and your blood might contain the right type of blood stem cells that could help Amy or many, many others just like her who are also searching for a donor match.

Every 5 minutes someone is diagnosed with blood cancer and every 10 minutes, blood cancer takes a precious life. Many could be saved by a bone marrow transplant.

70% of patients depend on a complete stranger; they need you to be the one to give them a second chance of life. Only 3 out of 10 patients will receive the transplant that can save their life.

On Tuesday 2/23 from 10-5:30 and Wednesday 2/24 from 10-5:30 we are hosting a bone marrow drive!!!

It's a fairly simple 10 minute process. You fill out some basic information and we swab your cheek with a QTip. If you are found to be a bone marrow match, read about the two ways you might be asked to donate at http://www.dkmsamericas.org/bone-marrow-donors/bone-marrow-donation-process.

Help Seun and Amy find their matches! Take the first step and get swabbed!

If you or anyone you know would like to donate go to http://www.firstgiving.com/pittbonemarrowdrive

PLEASE, PLEASE INVITE ALL YOUR FRIENDS!

For more information visit http://www.dkmsamericas.org.

Make a donation to help cover the tissue-typing cost of all the new donors we will register! Visit http://www.firstgiving.com/pittbonemarrowdrive.