Ridgway

CLARK FAMILY NEEDS YOUR HELP!! On August 13, 2009 my family and I received a disturbing phone call. We were being advised by my wife Sue’s Dad that our 7 year old nephew Ridgway Miller was just diagnosed with a very aggressive form of Leukemia. Ridgway had been experiencing flu-like symptoms about two weeks prior to the diagnosis. Ridgway’s mother Sherie noticed he was not getting any better and chose a second opinion. Based on that second opinion and blood tests, it was determined that Ridgway had Leukemia. By that afternoon, Ridgway had been admitted to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, since they live in Ohio. The next day the doctors began aggressive chemotherapy which will continue for at least 30 days in the hospital. The doctors also predict over three years of ongoing treatment at home. As of now, Ridgway is well on his way in his chemo treatment arena. It will take some time to determine the outcome of this first round. With that being said, we are not sure of the chance or need for a bone marrow transplant. However, as we Firefighters like to say, it’s better to be proactive than reactive so here is something you can do. If your schedule allows, on Saturday, September 19, 2009 we have put together a Bone Marrow

TESTING DRIVE for RIDGWAY September 19th, 9AM to 3PM San Miguel Fire Station #19 1273 Clarendon St El Cajon, CA “Behind the Vons”

Drive in Ridgway’s name. We will hold it here at San Miguel Fire Station 19 (Bostonia) from 09:00-3:00 p.m. This is a very non invasive test. At the end of this publication is additional information. The quick version is just a swab from your cheek with a Q-tip and filling out some minor paperwork. No blood, no needles or sticks. Just a simple swab in your mouth. You will then be placed in the National Registry to see if you are in fact a match for Ridgway or any other victim of this horrible disease. As a brother in the fire service, I so appreciate how we all step up to the plate for one another. I hope and pray you can please find the time to help out our family. We are used to hearing we save lives each and every day. This is just another great way to accomplish that same task. I appreciate your time and consideration in this matter. If you can’t make it on September 19, maybe you

can stop by your local San Diego Blood Bank and get tested in Ridgway’s name as well. My family and I thank you in advance and appreciate the support shown to us already by so many. Prayers always welcome,

Kevin M. Clark Fire Captain San Miguel F.D Station 19 B-Div [email protected] or 619-992-6589

BONE MARROW DRIVE INFORMATION COST – IT’S FREE! Signing up on the National Marrow Registry is easier than ever. Typically there is a charge associated with joining the National Marrow Donor Registry. If the drive is not sponsored by a company or organization (and therefore the company pays for the testing) the cost to the donor to sign up on the registry is $52. However, the San Diego office has a private foundation that has been set up to cover these costs for San Diego (and surrounding areas) residents so they may sign up free of charge! This is a huge benefit both to those wishing to sign up as well as the National Marrow Program – especially during these hard economic times. HOW IT’S DONE To sign up on the Registry, all donors have to do is fill out a registration form that covers the following information: 1) Donor’s contact information; 2) Secondary Contact information – this is just in case they move and forget to let the NMDP know, someone we can contact to find them and 3) Personal Health History. Then we go over the form with them to make sure everything is accurate and take a simple cheek swab to get their tissue sample. No blood has to be drawn, just 4 simple cheek swabs. Easy, huh? DAY OF DRIVE NEEDS – based loosely on expecting no more than 50 donors to join Now, our basic needs to hold a drive are 2-3 tables 6-8 ft long and 10-12 chairs. We will bring all the registration materials with us. We can be set up outside or inside, depending on the location. If we’ll be holding a drive outside, we’ll need a canopy to set up to provide some shade. If you don’t have a canopy or can’t provide the day of the drive, let me know and I’ll see if we can get one on our end for that day. PROMOTION If we move forward with holding a drive, I will create flyers that can be used to post up at the office for employees to see as well as handed out as you see fit. We do customize flyers based on details for each drive (i.e. a specific patient focus, location, etc).

EDUCATION I have noticed with my drives in the past that the more education I am able to provide those that we’re trying to reach, the better my chance of having them sign up on the registry on the day of the drive. We use a couple different methods of educating people to the registry:

x

x

x

1.

Education Sessions: I can do a 1-hour presentation with a video and more complete information on the program and how it works. We can do this session prior to your drive – that way the day of, we’re more likely get people to stop by and possibly join. This is a GREAT way to educate people to the registry and get them involved. I would highly recommend this.

2.

If you believe everyone is pretty well informed or if you don’t think the above would work for you, I have attached some educational sheets that provide some good information on why we need additional donors on the registry. These sheets can be emailed out to your employees or I’ve also had people print them out and post them throughout buildings and whatnot. I’m attaching some that I think would be beneficial. Details on the sheets below.

Myths vs Facts – this is a great sheet that answers some of the questions people have and are afraid to voice – I always have this one at all my drives because these are common questions that help to dispel rumors about what donating bone marrow or stem cells is like. Vital Stats – this is a GREAT information sheet that puts the importance of the program in perspective. Even with 7 million people on the registry – we still have 6000 patients every day, Nationwide, that are searching for a match. What’s even more startling is the breakdown of race on the registry and how that affects those that need transplants. Steps of Donation – Now, this is what most people want to know. If I get selected as a match, how are they going to take the marrow or adult stem cells? This sheet answers that question.

QUALIFICATIONS To qualify to be a marrow or blood stem cell donor, you: - Are between the ages of 18 and 60 - Are within 20% of the ideal weight for your height and age set by the NMDP - Are willing to donate to anyone who needs a transplant

ASK ME! I know this is a lot of information to take in, so take some time, read it over and discuss it with friends and colleagues. The sky is the limit… we can do as much as you’re willing to do. Thanks so much and I hope we can make this happen!

Melinda Jacobs Account Marketing Manager

440 Upas Street San Diego, CA 92103 Phone: (619) 400-8209 Cell: (619) 666-7890 Fax: (619) 296-5271 [email protected] www.sandiegobloodbank.org

Just the FACTS: Commonly held misperceptions about marrow donation can

MYTHS VERSUS FACTS MYTH: Marrow donation is painful.

discourage some from

FACT: Donors experience no pain during marrow donation, as this procedure

joining the Registry. Let

uses general or regional anesthesia.

us set the record straight.

MYTH: All marrow donations involve surgery.

FACT: Some donations involve surgery and some do not. The patient’s doctor requests either a marrow donation, a surgical procedure, or a peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) donation, which is non-surgical.

MYTH: Pieces of bone are removed from the donor. FACT: No pieces of bone are removed in marrow donation. Only the liquid marrow found inside the bones is needed to save the patient’s life.

MYTH: Donating marrow is dangerous and weakens the donor. FACT: Though no medical procedure is without risk, there are rarely any longterm effects from donating marrow. The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) screens all donors carefully before they donate, to ensure they are healthy and the procedure is safe for them. After donation, the body replaces its marrow within four to six weeks.

MYTH: Marrow donation involves a lengthy recovery.

FACT: Most donors are back to their normal routine within a few days. Marrow donors can expect to feel some soreness in their lower back for several days or longer. They may also feel tired or experience discomfort walking for a short while before symptoms disappear. PBSC donors may have symptoms such as headache, bone or muscle pain, nausea, insomnia or fatigue. These symptoms disappear shortly after donating.

MYTH: Donors have to pay for costs associated with donation.

FACT: Donors never pay for donating. All medical costs are covered by the patient’s medical insurance, sometimes with NMDP assistance. Donors are also reimbursed for travel expenses.

Creating Connections. Saving Lives.

MARROWORG s 1 (800) MARROW-2 National Marrow Donor Program: Entrusted to operate the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program ©2007 National Marrow Donor Program

11021; NOV 2007

Just the FACTS: You can help! Join the NMDP Registry

VITAL STATISTICS Every year, more than 10,000 men, women and children get life-threatening diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, and do not have a marrow donor in their family. To live, they need to find an unrelated marrow donor whose tissue type matches their own. Patients are most likely to match donors of their same race and ethnicity.

Be the one to give hope to patients in need. There are simply not enough racially or ethnically diverse members on the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) Registry to meet the needs of patients. Currently only a little more than 1.8 million people of the nearly 7 million Registry members are of racial and ethnic diversity.

Getting patients to transplant quickly is often critical. The NMDP is working to overcome barriers that slow this process. More donors of the same race and ethnicity are needed to help patients find matches sooner. We are also working with medical professionals and insurance companies to help every patient receive the transplant he or she needs. If more people joined the Registry, more patients would find a donor.

The NMDP Registry (7 million total)1

Patients who DO NOT receive a life-saving transplant2

100%

100%

Caucasian - 73% (5 million)

90%

90%

Hispanic/Latino - 10% (650,000) 80%

80%

African American/Black - 8% (515,000)

70%

60%

60%

Asian/Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander - 7% (459,000)

50% 40%

African American/Black

83% % 81% %

70%

50%

75% 5%

American Indian/ Alaska Native

61% % 55%

40%

Multiple Race - 3% (180,000)

30%

30%

American Indian/ Alaska Native - 1% (80,000)

20%

20%

10%

10%

0

0 1

Numbers reflect U.S. recruitment activity as of October 1, 2007. Numbers, percentages and totals may not coincide due to rounding. Remainder of the Registry are unidentified.

2

Asian/ Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander Caucasian Hispanic/Latino

Based on searches that did not proceed to transplant within 6 months. Additional patients received their transplants later than 6 months.

Creating Connections. Saving Lives.

MARROWORG s 1 (800) MARROW-2 National Marrow Donor Program: Entrusted to operate the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program ©2008 National Marrow Donor Program

11023; APR 2008