CMISS hosts blood, bone marrow drive

The Center for Multicultural/International Student Services will offer students the opportunity to donate bone marrow and will hold a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. tomorrow in Transitions.

"It is an important opportunity to help others in need through giving blood or bone marrow," said Stacy Edwards, director of CMISS. "It is a wonderful chance to give back to the community."

Students have the option of just giving blood or signing up to become potential bone marrow donors. If students decide to become a bone marrow donor, they will give samples of their blood on Oct. 12. They then will be added to the National Marrow Donor Program registry.

If a student is found to be a bone marrow match for someone in need, they will be contacted by the NMDP and undergo additional testing to make sure that they are a good match for the patient. In the event that the student is a positive match, they will undergo a donation process that involves removal of the bone marrow from the pelvic bone. The procedure will require the donor to stay in the hospital for a day or less.

Junior John Epps signed up to become a bone marrow donor because he saw no reason not to. "If I have something that I can give someone that I have a plethora of — like bone marrow — then I should help them out," he said.

Students who sign up to become donors and decide at a later time that they no longer wish to be part of the program are under no binding obligation to donate their bone marrow.

According to NMDP standards, potential donors must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health. Donors should have no history of heart problems, diabetes, active asthma, sickle cell anemia, the hepatitis B surface antigen, the hepatitis C antibody, HIV or AIDS or IV substance abuse. People who have had any type of cancer, even if they are considered cured, are ineligible to donate. Individuals who are 25 percent over their ideal weight also are ineligible.

"It is easy to think that doctors and nurses can take care of everything, but we have to remind ourselves that we have an obligation as a community to help those in the medical profession with resources they can’t create, such as blood and bone marrow," said Julie Foley (’04).

CMISS was contacted about the blood and bone marrow drive by Terry Atwater of Virginia Blood Services in Harrisonburg. Edwards said that the collaboration between blood services and JMU students would be a great idea.

Students may reserve a time to donate on the list located in the CMISS office. There also will be a table with a sign-up sheet and additional information today on the commons from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.