USA - SheKnows, Save Giovanni and DKMS Americas team up to recruit 50000 new registrants - 15000 registrants, and 14 matches later, the Save Giovanni campaign embarks on a new campaign to recruit more potential donors by next year.

Southern California - The Battle Rages On - Chase Crawford-Quickel finds out he has a rare blood cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma, and gets a stem cell transplant for the second time in his young life. A well-written account, which includes a brief summary of both methods of donation.

"Chase,a wiry young man with a dry sense of humor, says he is willing to tell his story only in order to raise awareness about bone marrow transplants."

Birmingham, UK - Firefighter's Donor Search in Leukaemia Battle and Bone Marrow Donors Could Help Little Alishba - Two people are looking for a matching donor. While no one is guaranteed a match, Alishba is South Asian and may face a more difficult search.

"Even if none of the donors my mates encourage to come forward is a perfect match for me, they could serve to save someone else's life."

Labels: Anthony Nolan Trust, California, DKMS, minority donors, UK, US

From Pakistan Daily:

A Hounslow woman is facing a race against time to find a bone marrow donor from the Asian community that will save the life of her leukaemia-stricken niece.

Determined Monica Grewal, 37, has made an emotional plea for people to come forward and help six-year-old Rianna Deol get her desperately-needed transplant.

But because individual genetic make-up is so varied, her best chance of a match is from someone of the same ethnic background - and only 4 per cent of donors on the Anthony Nolan Trust's bone marrow register are Asian.

Mrs Grewal has urgently called for potential donors to join the register at a special clinic between midday and 4pm tomorrow (Sunday) at Saks Hair and Beauty Salon at the David Lloyd Club, Southall Lane, Hounslow.

Labels: bone marrow donor clinic, bone marrow drives, UK

Today's bone marrow clinic in Huddersfield, UK was deemed a success by organizers attracting 53 people. This is the first clinic inspired directly from the challenge of Adrian "Sudders" Sudbury to educate people about bone marrow registration and donations in the short time he has left to live, after being treated unsuccessfully for two different types of leukemia (he is the only known person to have two forms simultaneously).

Two more drives will be occurring in July.

If you live in the UK or are an ex-pat, you may also be interested in signing the official 10 Downing Street e-petition before July 23, 2008 to fulfill Adrian's wish to see the basics of bone marrow donation and registration taught to teenagers in school as part of the curriculum. Please sign it only if you are from the United Kingdom.

Sign the petition

Labels: Adrian Sudbury, Anthony Nolan Trust, bone marrow donor clinic, Huddersfield, UK

Three clinics in the UK, courtesy of the ACLT (African Carribean Leukemia Trust). Don't let the name fool you—while the ACLT wants more minorities to register, they will happily register anyone who shows up. Times and places:

Saturday 14th June 2008

12.00 noon -5pm
Lewisham Fire station
249 Lewisham High Street
London
SE13 6NH

Sunday 6th July 2008

12.00 noon -5pm
Britannia Hotel Nottingham
St James St
Nottingham
NG1 6VN

Sunday 13th July 2008

5pm-9pm
School of Oriental and African Studies
University of London
Thornhaugh St
Russell Square
London
WC1H 0XG

Labels: bone marrow donor clinic, bone marrow drives, UK

Here's a reminder of the bone marrow registration drives we're aware of that are coming up over the next seven days:

May 27
Isabela, Puerto Rico - Iglesia Presbiteriana de Borinquen, Clinica de Salud
Pompano Beach, Florida - Consulado Brasileiro Itinerante
San Jose, California - Price Waterhouse Coopers

May 28
Sacramento, California - APAPA Internship Event
San Mateo, California - Guideware Software
Orford, England - Tetley Walker Social Club

May 29
La Moca, Puerto Rico - Instituto de Banca de Moca
Union City, California - James Logan High School

May 30
San Diego, California - Naval Base San Diego Main Navy Exchange
San Francisco, California - Vision Shock Party

May 31
Wilminton, Delaware - Faith Baptist Church Health Fair
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Igreja San Martin of Tours, Lower Church
Jamaican, New York - Roy Wilkins Family Recreation Center
London, England - Tiger Tiger

June 1
Delran, New Jersey - Harvest English Institute
Los Angeles, California - Temple Beth Am
Cupertino, California - Good Shepherd Church
Union City, California - GRX Church-Fremont

Labels: bone marrow drives, California, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, UK, US

Another newspaper is getting behind Adrian Sudbury, and organizing a bone marrow drive (or as they're called in the UK, donor clinics). This one is in Sudbury's home town of Huddersfield. From the Huddersfield Daily Examiner:

To make it easy for Examiner readers to join the register we have organised a clinic which will take place at Huddersfield Methodist Mission on Lord Street from 2pm until 7pm on June 18.

Labels: Adrian Sudbury, bone marrow drives, UK

From BBC News:

The Anthony Nolan Trust is holding a clinic for people who want to register for bone marrow donation on 31 May at Tiger Tiger, 28-29 Haymarket, Piccadilly, London from 1100-1600.

Labels: Adrian Sudbury, bone marrow drives, UK

You may have heard of Adrian Sudbury, a 26-year-old journalist who is suffering from two different types of leukemia simultaneously, and has only weeks to live. He's using his remaining time advocating for more people to register as potential bone marrow donors, and the Southport Visiter is also taking up the cause:

The next blood donor session is on Thursday, June 26, from 2pm to 4pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm in Holy Trinity Parochial Centre, Hoghton Street, Southport.

Please call 0845 7 711711 to make and appointment.

Labels: Adrian Sudbury, bone marrow drives, UK

This is a message from Syreeta Quartey, Danny Whyte's sister. Danny had leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, a donor could not be found in time.

On Thursday it will be a year since my brother Danny Whyte died of Leukaemia.

We will be doing a sponsored walk to raise awareness about Leukaemia and asking people to please join the bone marrow register and to raise funds for DWIB Leukaemia Trust to continue their work of starting the first bone marrow register in Africa starting in Ghana.

We are advertising this on the radio, TV and in newspapers to let people know what is happening and why they need to join.

I would like to ask everyone who is not on the register to please do so as soon as possible and don't wait for it to happen to you or someone you love.

Remembering Danny
Sponsored walk to raise funds for DWIB
From Brockwell Park to Goldcoast Restaurant
Thursday 22nd May 2008 11:30 am
Approximately 5.12 miles/8.24 km
About 1 hour 40 minutes

You can see Danny waiting while people get swabbed for bone marrow typing in Ghana courtesy of the efforts of the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. Nearly 800 people were typed due to their efforts during that single trip.

I showed this video to my parents and one of our friends. My friend, who lives three blocks away from me in Montreal, Canada, recognized Danny, by that time living in the UK, because they had gone to school together in Ghana. The world is smaller than you think. The international scope of bone marrow donation and transplantation brings that fact home constantly.

Labels: Africa, Ghana, minority donors, UK

Here's a reminder of the bone marrow registration drives we're aware of that are coming up over the next seven days:

May 20
Kent, England - Princes Plain Primary School

May 23
Providence, Rhode Island - MET School
Longmont, Colorado - Longmont United Hospital

May 24
Brooklyn, New York - St. Augustine Episcopal Church
Katonah, New York - Katonah Village Library
York, Pennsylvania - YMCA Community Center

May 25
Jamestown, Rhode Island - Portuguese Hall

Labels: bone marrow drives, Colorado, New York, Rhode Island, UK, US

From Kent News:

The trust is holding a recruitment session for donors at Jamie’s school, Princes Plain Primary School, in Church Lane, Bromley, on Tuesday.

Lynsey Dickson, from the trust, said: "The register can never be big enough, quite simply the more people we have on the register the more chances we have of finding a lifesaving match for patients like Jamie."

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

Here's a reminder of the bone marrow drives coming up over the next seven days. Many of these drives are free, as part of the National Marrow Donor Program's "Thanks Mom" event.

May 12
Columbus, Ohio - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Syracuse, New York - Boys & Girls Club
Sacramento, California - UC Davis Cancer Center
Kansas City, Missouri - Children’s Mercy Hospital
North Plainfield, New Jersey - Vermeule Community Center
Shoreview, Minnesota - Turtle Lake School
Rutland, Vermont - Alderman's Chevrolet

May 13
North Scituate, Rhode Island - Ponaganset Middle School
Hopkins, Minnesota - Shepherd of the Hill Church
Hannibal, Missouri - Cary Cancer Center
Manchester, Vermont - Manchester Rescue
Fair Haven, Vermont - Fair Haven Union High School

May 14
Providence, Rhode Island - Hasbro Children's Hospital
Madison, Alabama - Dublin Park

May 15
Jeffersonville, New York - St. George's Church
Liberty, New York - Liberty High School
Kansas City, Missouri - St. Charles Borromeo Parish
Minneapolis, Minnesota - Nicollet Mall Farmers Market
Middlebury, Vermont - Porter Medical Center
Huddersfield, England - Newsome South Methodist Church Hall

May 16
Rome, Georgia - Redmond Regional Medical Center
Stony Brook, New York - Stony Brook University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Pittsford, Vermont - Vermont Police Academy

May 17
Central Falls, Rhode Island - Wyatt Detention Facility’s Training Center
Springield, Pennsylvania - Springfield Township High School
Townshend, Vermont - Grace Cottage Hospital

May 18
Mount Holly, Vermont - Mount Holly Rescue Fair
Parkville, Missouri - St. Therese Parish
Kansas City, Missouri - Temple B’nai Jehudah
Kansas City, Missouri - Christ Church
St. Paul, Minnesota - St. Andrew's Lutheran Church
St. Paul, Minnesota - St. George Greek Orthodox Church

Labels: Alabama, bone marrow drives, California, free registration, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, UK, US, Vermont

From the Yorkshire Post:

The Anthony Nolan Trust and Sophie's family and friends are holding a clinic in Huddersfield next week to seek a donor for Sophie and others on the register. It will be held at Newsome South Methodist Church Hall, Birch Road, Berry Brow, Huddersfield, 3.30pm to 6.30pm on Thursday, May 15. People are urged to attend and be willing to be a donor, not just for Sophie, but anyone on the register. Those attending need to give a small blood sample to see if they are suitable.

Donors must be aged 18-40 and be in good health. For more information visit www.anthonynolan.org.uk

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

From the Warrington Guardian:

The clinic will be run by the Anthony Nolan Trust and staffed by nurses from Warrington Hospital.

All you have to do is give a small blood sample which will be compared with the list of people waiting for transplants.

To register as a bone marrow donor, you must be aged between 18 and 40, be in good health, weigh more than eight stone and be willing to donate to any patient you match.

The clinic is on Wednesday, May 28, between 4pm and 8pm at the Tetley Walker Social Club, Long Lane, Orford.

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

From the Derbyshire Times:

Saturday's clinic will be at Main Hall, Hope Valley College, Castleton Road, Hope, from noon to 4pm.

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

Here's a reminder of the bone marrow registration drives we've reported on that are coming up over the next seven days:

April 20
Villanova, Pennsylvania - Villanova University
Chicago, Illinois - Crown Point High School
Seattle, Washington - Seattle Cherry Blossom And Japanese Cultural Festival
Tamuning, Guam - Guam Premier Outlets

April 22
San Marcos, Texas - Texas State University-San Marcos
Sacramento, California - Jerry's Paint & Supply
Berkeley, California - UC Berkeley
Moray, Scotland - Dr Gray's Hospital, Elgin
Bellingham, Washington - Western Washington University

April 23
San Marcos, Texas - Texas State University-San Marcos
Mundelein, Illinois - College of Lake County
Berkeley, California - UC Berkeley
Bellingham, Washington - Western Washington University

April 24
San Marcos, Texas - Texas State University-San Marcos
Bellingham, Washington - Western Washington University

April 26
Laconia, New Hampshire - First Free Will Baptist Church
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Norris Homes Community Center

Labels: bone marrow drives, California, Guam, Illinois, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas, UK, US, Washington

Another last-minute discovery, from the Liverpool Daily Post:

The Pall Mall Dental Clinic in Liverpool will today join up with one of the world’s largest life-saving charities in a bid to help save an eight-year-old Huyton girl.

The Anthony Nolan Trust has organised the clinic’s search for potential bone marrow donors.

It takes place at the Pall Mall dental practice between 5pm and 7pm today. The arrangement came about after the charity helped the best friend of Dr Andrew Healy, the proprietor of the dental clinic, to receive a life- saving bone marrow transplant.

For further details on being a donor, please contact The Pall Mall Dental Clinic on 0151 258 1968 or the Anthony Nolan website, www.anthonynolan.org.uk

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

From the South Wales Argus:

The donor clinic will be held at Gaer Junior School between 4pm and 7pm today (Tuesday, April 15).

Anyone who joins the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register will be required to give a small sample of blood on the night.

If found to be a match, donors could be required to donate bone marrow to anyone all over the world.

Donors must be aged between 18 and 40, weigh more than eight stone, not be excessively over-weight and be in generally good health.

The Anthony Nolan Trust are particularly keen for young men to donate and people of ethnic minorities.

I'm sure they meant "young people," as gender isn't a factor in donor compatibility.

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

More details on the drives being held for Rianna Deol. From Bexley Times:

While doctors are especially eager to hear from Asian people donors from all backgrounds are welcome to add to the register.

The clinics are due to be held at The Arts Studio, Khalsa Avenue, Gravesend, from 10am to 2pm this Saturday, at Dartford Gurdwara, Highfields Road, Dartford, from 10am to 2pm this Sunday and at Erith Gurdwara, Mitchell Close, Belvedere, from 5pm to 8pm on Monday.

Labels: bone marrow drives, minority donors, UK

This is happening at Dr Gray's Hospital, Elgin. From The Northern Scot:

Donations can still be accepted at Ward 2, along with further information on the bone marrow drive, which will take place between 4pm and 7pm at the hospital on April 22.

Potential donors must be aged between 18 and 40 inclusively, weigh at least eight stones and not be excessively overweight, and be willing to donate bone marrow to anyone worldwide.

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

Six-year-old Rianna Deol has acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Her doctors say she has just four months to receive a life-saving bone marrow transplant. From Kent Online:

Now the family, with the support of the Anthony Nolan Trust, are holding a series of clinics to give the community the chance to give Rianna the gift of life.

These clinics will be held across Dartford, Belvedere, and Gravesend. Mrs Deol said if a match is found, the procedure to donate is simple and involves a small amount of healthy bone marrow from the donor, which gives the recipient the chance to produce healthy blood cells.

A likely match for Rianna could come from anyone.

To become a donor call 020 7284 1234.

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

From the Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

The Mereway Community College session will be held from 3.30pm until 7pm on Tuesday, March 25.

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK

From Lynn News:

"The Anthony Nolan Trust will be holding a bone marrow donor recruitment clinic at Sandringham Visitor Centre, on Wednesday, between 4.30pm and 7.30pm."

Other important points mentioned in the article:

"Mr Mason said the myth of large needles being used to extract marrow from the hip bone were unfounded and revealed the procedure is more like a blood transfusion." People tend to worry about needles (I still do, a little, even after the dozens of injections and blood draws I've had in the last four months), so I hope this is of some reassurance to potential donors.

"The main criteria for donors is that they must be aged between 18 and 40, be in good health, weigh more than eight stone (51kg), not be severely overweight and be willing to donate to any patient they ever match." Please bear in mind that age requirements and other conditions vary from country to country. Check with your country's registry for requirements before deciding you aren't qualified.

Labels: bone marrow drives, UK