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St. Katherine's/AHEPA Bone Marrow Registry
SAVE A LIFE!
The chances of finding an unrelated (allogeneic) match are 20,000 to 1. We must add to our database so that any Greek patient has a realistic chance of finding a match. Become a registered Bone Marrow Donor through the AHEPA Bone Marrow Donor Registry
THE TIME IS NOW! Please read below for more information:
The following is a letter from a member of St. Katherine's Greek Orthodox Church: Dear Fellow Parishoners,
My brother Zachary Stoumbos, devoted husband, and loving father of three, desperately needs your help. This past January, Zack received news that would change his life and all of those around him – forever. After visiting the doctor for pain in his knee, they discovered a blood clot that revealed leukemia – in simple terms, cancer of the blood. Zack was diagnosed with pre-cell B Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). Like many of you, our family didn’t know much about this disease. Now we know more than we’d ever wish to. What seemed like an unlucky visit to the doctor was, in fact, pretty lucky. Leukemia is a disease that has no genetic predispositions, can occur without any visible symptoms, and if left untreated, can be fatal within 3-4 months. Zack is currently undergoing treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. And although he was lucky enough to catch the disease to have it treated, he has a long way to go. For Zack’s survival, he needs a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, I was not found to be a match, so we’re reaching out to everyone we know – and everyone you know – to help us find a match for my brother. As with many progressive cancers, time is of the essence. Zack is currently in first remission, the time span in which doctors think a bone marrow transplant would be most successful. However, we still have not found a donor match for Zack. Statistically, finding a bone marrow match from the bone marrow registry is a 1 in 20,000 chance, but we can increase the odds by expanding the registry. We are reaching out to the St. Katherine’s Church community to help us in this search for a “perfect” donor. A bone marrow donation is a simple process for the donor, but more importantly, it’s a process that can save a life. Learn more about Leukemia, the bone marrow donation process, and the bone marrow transplant procedure on the following pages. Please find it in your hearts to help – after all, this could be your loved one. With kind regards, Tom Stoumbos
What can I expect if I register to be a donor? Testing will consist of either a vial of blood drawn by a registered phlebotomist, or a DNA swab that can be self-administered. For those who choose the “swab” approach, we ask that you have nothing to eat or drink for one hour before the testing. If you take communion, you should wait one hour before being swabbed. Please hold your aditheron after you are swabbed. Of course, we can draw a vial of blood anytime. The data obtained from the testing will be kept in a database that is searched constantly to determine compatibility for marrow or stem cell transplants for leukemia victims. What if I am found to be a potential match? Once you have been tested at the blood drive, you will be placed in a database, and, should you match somebody at the initial level, you will be asked to give permission for a second testing of the same vial or swab submitted. If you are fortunate enough to still be a potential match, you will be asked to undergo a complete physical examination to determine compatibility with the patient, who will be unknown to you. Visit the AHEPA website for more frequently asked questions: www.ahepafamily.org/bmdr. If I can’t test to be a donor, can I still help? Yes. AHEPA Bone Marrow Donor Registry is a non-profit organization set up to help victims of Leukemia. Testing is free but it costs the Registry $60 to test and enroll a new donor. If you can make a tax-deductible monetary donation, of any amount, please make it payable to AHEPA Bone Marrow Donor Registry. Donations can be mailed to Donations for Zachary, 53 Yarmouth Road, New Providence, NJ 07974 or presented during the Bone Marrow Drive at St. Katherine’s, and a receipt will be sent to you by AHEPA. Any donation would be greatly appreciated, but is not a requirement to donate a blood sample. If you are unable to give blood or donate money, we ask that you spread the word to others about the blood drive at St. Katherine’s.
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