Join the National Marrow Donor Program and we will put a $50.00 credit on your Finao account. (not limited to U.S. – partner programs are available worldwide)
Our dear friend and colleague Nicole Fitzpatrick from Seldex in Australia has a daughter, Mia, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in May 2012 and after 4 rounds of chemotherapy Mia was in remission. Mia relapsed in April and has undergone 2 more rounds of chemo and needs a bone marrow transplant. This dear little girl has been though hell and back and still manages a smile in every picture I see of her. I have a card she sent to Finao on my desk to remind me every day of the ordeal she and her family are going through. At this point she must have a bone marrow transplant to survive. We know that the more people on the bone marrow registry the better the chances are for Mia and all the other Mias in the world to receive the precious gift of life they so desperately need. Please watch her video to see what a really great kid she is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK0fG4KqE8o
So please help out. This is one campaign that doesn’t want your money, in fact, we are willing to pay you! That’s how important we feel this is. Donating bone marrow is easy. See the steps you need to take to join the National Bone Marrow Registry. As of yesterday they found a donor for Mia but many donors do not follow through so it’s still a tough road to go before they know for sure. If you sign up please remember that someone, somewhere is counting on you. Their life depends on you choosing to follow through with making the donation.
HOW DO I BECOME A BONE MARROW DONOR?
The first step to becoming a bone marrow donor is to register with DKMS. In order to join the registry all you need to do is fill out an information/consent form and swab the inside of your cheeks to collect cells for tissue typing. Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 55, must meet the medical eligibility guidelines and be willing donate to any patient in need. As a DKMS donor, your tissue type, along with your ID# is stored anonymously on the Be The Match Registry® (operated by the NMDP-National Marrow Donor Program). The registry is searched by doctors trying to find matches for their patients. If a doctor selects you as a match for a patient, you may be asked to donate stem cells collected from your circulating blood (called PBSC donation) or to donate bone marrow collected from your pelvic bone (not the spine). You can register online here.
To collect your “reward” from Finao you need to complete the registration process and receive your donor card and number. Then take a pic and email it to us at info@finao.com. The credit will then be made to your Finao account and it will automatically apply to orders until it is used up (account credits do not apply toward shipping charges).
Thank you from all of us at Finao. We are a few oceans away, but we want to do something that just might make a difference for Mia or for someone who is just as loved and just as in need as she is.
IF YOU ARE A MATCH:
There are two ways to donate. The majority of donations do not involve surgery. The following is excerpted from http://www.DeleteBloodCancer.org
Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) Donation:
The most common way to collect stem cells is via the donor’s bloodstream using a process called apheresis. To increase the number of stem cells in the bloodstream, donors receive daily injections of a synthetic protein called filgrastim for 4 days before, and on the day of the collection.
On the day of collection the donor’s blood is removed with a sterile needle from one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the blood stem cells. The remaining blood is returned to the donor through the other arm. PBSC Collection is a non-surgical, outpatient procedure that takes about 4-8 hours on 1-2 consecutive days.
While taking filgrastim, many donors experience flu-like symptoms such as headaches, bone and muscle achiness and fatigue. Most side effects subside within 48 hours of donating.
Bone Marrow Donation:
Liquid marrow is collected from the backside of the pelvic bone (not the spine) using a special syringe. Donors receive general anesthesia so no pain is experienced during the marrow extraction. This is a 1-2 hour, outpatient, surgical procedure. Many donors experience some pain, bruising and stiffness for up to two weeks after their donation. Within a week of donating, most donors are able to return to work, school and many regular activities. Though no medical procedure is without risk, there are rarely any long-term effects from donating. Only five percent or less of a donor’s marrow is needed for transplantation and will completely replenish within a few weeks, so you can save a life without giving up anything permanently.
The method used for donation depends upon the patient’s needs and is determined by the patient’s doctor. Registered donors must be willing to donate using either method.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!
FOLLOW MIA’S JOURNEY ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TeamMiaPart2
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