Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy D
Wow, so I can't just get a bone marrow drive going through my church and community and get donations without it costing? And if individuals want to be tested it costs? Does that apply if they agree to submit to the bank? In getting the word out, where should I refer people?
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There are a few choices:
People age 18-60 in the U.S. (or Puerto Rico) willing to pay $52 for a cheek-swab kit can join the Registry all by themselves. They can order the kit at the National Marrow Donor Program
Join Now page. You could give people you know that information and that web address.
You can look through the
Donor Center List to identify your closest donor center, contact the center to learn about their procedure for joining the registry, and pass the word along to people you know.
You can use the same Donor Center List or the
zip code tool to look for upcoming donor events and help publicize the event. Major events are also listed
here.
You can contact a
Recruitment Group and find out how they can help you.
You can contact the NMDP directly for more ideas. They are always looking for people willing to organize a drive. Their number is 1-800-MARROW-2 (1-800-627-7692). Their email address is
outreach@nmdp.org.
That still leaves the question of who pays for the testing. Sometimes a recruitment drive has a sponsor (e.g., a corporation, civic group, or church) to pay for the testing, so people can join the Registry for free. It's worth keeping your eyes open for sponsored events you can help publicize, or contact any groups that you think might be a sponsor and offer to help organize an event if they sponsor it. Some people ask their own employers about this.