2008 Woodie Awards
Student could save a life by donating bone marrow
By: Laura Brian
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Jessica DeMorris is starting to save someone's life today.
The Utica graduate student will start daily injections today before undergoing a bone-marrow donation procedure on Monday.
DeMorris' journey started in 2006, when she registered at a bone marrow donation drive. About two months ago, she found out she was a match. Now, a 37-year-old woman with leukemia will have a second chance at life.
DeMorris said donating bone marrow seemed like a great way to help people.
"With what I learned at P.A. (physician assistant) school, donating bone marrow can be potentially painful," she said. "But it can potentially save a life."
DeMorris said she will be taken to a Grand Rapids office, where they will conduct a peripheral blood stem cell donation. This involves taking injections of a drug called filgrastim to move her stem cells from her bone marrow into her blood stream, she said.
"I will have some bone pain," she said. "It will feel like the flu mostly."
Everyday 6,000 people search for a compatible marrow match, said Katherine Kwiatkowski, marrow/stem cell donor recruiter.
She said about 30 percent of patients will have a match within their families, while 70 percent will need to find a match in the national registry.
Kwiatkowski said there is a shortage of minority donors.
"Since tissue type is inherited, you need someone of your same racial and ethnic background to be your donor," she said. "We are always looking to register as many minority donors as possible."
To be a donor a person must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and be in good health. Their body mass index cannot be under or overweight and women must not be pregnant, said Dr. Ahmad Hakemi, director of the physician assistant program.
Medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, epilepsy and hepatitis also exclude donors, he said.
Once a donor is selected, a blood test for tissue typing is done to find a match, Hakemi said.
"More than 70 different diseases are treatable by a blood stem transplant," he said.
A yearly bone marrow registry will take place sometime this fall, Kwiatkowski said.
"Students should watch for flyers and information about the drive," she said.
DeMorris attended a bone marrow drive last year.
To volunteer, donate or help coordinate a drive, contact Kwiatkowski at 616-233-8554 or e-mail her at marrow@miblood.org.
news@cm-life.com
The Utica graduate student will start daily injections today before undergoing a bone-marrow donation procedure on Monday.
DeMorris' journey started in 2006, when she registered at a bone marrow donation drive. About two months ago, she found out she was a match. Now, a 37-year-old woman with leukemia will have a second chance at life.
DeMorris said donating bone marrow seemed like a great way to help people.
"With what I learned at P.A. (physician assistant) school, donating bone marrow can be potentially painful," she said. "But it can potentially save a life."
DeMorris said she will be taken to a Grand Rapids office, where they will conduct a peripheral blood stem cell donation. This involves taking injections of a drug called filgrastim to move her stem cells from her bone marrow into her blood stream, she said.
"I will have some bone pain," she said. "It will feel like the flu mostly."
Everyday 6,000 people search for a compatible marrow match, said Katherine Kwiatkowski, marrow/stem cell donor recruiter.
She said about 30 percent of patients will have a match within their families, while 70 percent will need to find a match in the national registry.
Kwiatkowski said there is a shortage of minority donors.
"Since tissue type is inherited, you need someone of your same racial and ethnic background to be your donor," she said. "We are always looking to register as many minority donors as possible."
To be a donor a person must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and be in good health. Their body mass index cannot be under or overweight and women must not be pregnant, said Dr. Ahmad Hakemi, director of the physician assistant program.
Medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, epilepsy and hepatitis also exclude donors, he said.
Once a donor is selected, a blood test for tissue typing is done to find a match, Hakemi said.
"More than 70 different diseases are treatable by a blood stem transplant," he said.
A yearly bone marrow registry will take place sometime this fall, Kwiatkowski said.
"Students should watch for flyers and information about the drive," she said.
DeMorris attended a bone marrow drive last year.
To volunteer, donate or help coordinate a drive, contact Kwiatkowski at 616-233-8554 or e-mail her at marrow@miblood.org.
news@cm-life.com
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