Timothy Trapp, Caroline Curtin, Joseph Kelly
Be The Match
The Institute of Clinical Bioethics is hosting an on-campus event in partnership with Be The Match® to raise awareness for blood stem cell donation and help grow the number of donors in the stem cell national registry. Be The Match® is an organization and national stem cell database focused on connecting patients in need of healthy stem cells with donors. This database can be referenced when a person with a blood disease requires a bone marrow transplant.
Stem cells are cells in our bodies from which all specialized cells are generated. Under the right conditions, stem cells divide to form new stem cells or specialized cells with a specific function such as blood cells, heart muscle cells, brain cells, or bone cells. One reason why stem cells are so important to the human body is that they can be a part of regenerative medicine in which the stem cells generate healthy cells to replace those affected by disease. One important specific type of stem cell is those that go on to create blood cells.
The on-campus event is hoping to help increase this registry and give more chances to save a life. The steps to become a donor are simple, registering for the database, swabbing the inner cheek with a test kit, getting matched, and donating. This process helps to combat over 75 diseases, including acute myeloid leukemia, multiple myeloma, and sickle cell anemia. The donor registry targets people aged 18-35 and a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds to combat health disparities. College campuses happen to meet these criteria quite sufficiently through their student bodies.
The first few steps of registering and swabbing are done at the on-campus event. A possible donor will register and complete the instructions for the swab kit, provided by the volunteers at the table. The kit will then be sent to Be The Match®. From there, the organization tests, plugs the type of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) into the registry, and references the database when finding a donor. When donating, Be The Match® covers all expenses to make the trip for donation possible, including travel fees, missed work income, and even paying for a babysitter if needed. This event will bring all the necessary resources to make an impact in someone’s life directly to the students.
Event Details
Saint Joseph’s University is hosting a swabbing event with Be The Match® on Tuesday, October 10th from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM in Campion Student Center. Student volunteers, alongside a representative from Be The Match®, will be running the table where students and faculty can use the swab kits to join the donor bank.
Further Inquiries
If you are interested in becoming more involved with this initiative further than just being a volunteer, a great place to start would be reaching out to the coordinator of this project, Timothy Trapp (tt10765335@sju.edu). We are still looking for individuals to join our team who are engaged and willing to present this information during a drive event to support our effort. With any further inquiries, feel free to stop by Barbelin 110, The Office of the Institute of Clinical Bioethics, to find out how to get more involved.
