From the USFA:
U.S. fencers will have a unique opportunity to help leukemia patients in Miami during the 2007 Summer National Championships. The USFA is hosting a drive to register potential bone marrow donors during the Championships for three days, June 30 - July 2.
The drive will be hosted by the USFA and held by DKMS Americas, U.S. arm of the largest non-profit bone marrow donor center in the world.
Every five minutes, blood cancer takes a life. With more than 6,000 US Fencing athletes, coaches, volunteers and family members attending, the USFA has the chance to make a real difference to leukemia patients all over the world with this drive.
Registering is a gesture of support and a potential gift of life to patients like Sam Cross, a 22- year old who went within days from captaining the fencing team at Harvard University to fighting for his life.
Sam suffers from Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). Before his illness, Sam was an excellent student, part of the tennis club and an active volunteer. But diagnosis like leukemia changes everything. Sam had to put his college graduation on hold for medical treatment.
Fortunately, in Sam's case, he is in remission and the hopes are that he has achieved a cure through chemotherapy. But for so many other patients, a transplant is their only hope. And because of drives held by Sam's friends and teammates, a donor for another patient desperately in need was found.
Finding a bone marrow donor for a specific patient is like finding a foil tip screw in the middle of a North American Cup venue. For a transplant to be successful, the tissue characteristics between donor and patient must be almost a 100 percent match. And fewer than 30 percent of patients in need of a transplant can find a match through a relative.
Registration is simplicity itself, involving only the filling out of a form and a quick swab of the cheek. Because processing the swab costs about $65, a donation is requested to cover that cost but is not required.
Interested donors can also register directly or find more information through DKMS Americas online (dkmsamericas.org), via email (info@dkmsamericas.org) or by calling 866-340-DKMS (3567).
"As a non-profit organization, we believe that we have a duty to assist in raising the awareness of our members regarding other worthy causes. Consequently, we have made the commitment to select one cause to highlight at each Summer National Championships," says USFA Executive Director Michael Massik.
"We will begin this effort in Miami with DKMS Americas. This cause was nominated by a US Fencing member and we are glad that we can assist in making the fencing population more aware of their efforts and goals. We also hope that the exposure that DKMS Americas receives in the fencing world can assist them in making a difference in the medical community."
We know how powerful comrades at arms can be. Let's show the world by registering in Miami. If you're not competing, contact DKMS Americas or the National Bone Marrow Registry (
www.marrow.org), register, and tell them you want people like Sam to be victorious in this duel.
About DKMS Americas
DKMS Americas is the American arm of the largest bone marrow registry in the world. DKMS Americas is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the United States; incorporated in Washington D.C. in June 2004. Donors are part of registeries all over the world, including the U.S.
DKMS's mission is to give patients in need of a bone marrow transplant a second chance of life. The organization has facilitated more than 10,000 bone marrow transplants and has registered more than 1.5 million donors worldwide. Please see
www.DKMSAmericas.org for more information.
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