Sunday 9 October 2005

Swing Appeal Continues

I'm sure by now that you're all aware of the plight of DJ Swing who desperately needs to find a 100% bone marrow match.
His time is running out and his situation is now critical. If you are aged between 18-45 and are in good general health, then
please join the Bone Marrow register. The next set of registration clinics are as follows;
SUNDAY 9TH OCTOBER - London: 10am to 4.30pm, Kings College Hospital, Hambledon Wing, Ground Floor Boardroom, Denmark Hill, London, SE5
FRIDAY 14TH OCTOBER - London: 6pm to 10pm, Rococo, 7-9 Cranbourne Street, Leicester Square, London, WC2H
All you need to do at this stage is have a small blood sample taken. This is then sent off for evaluation to see if you are a match. His situation is now at the stage where he cannot wait for people to 'think about it'.
Fact 1: There are over 669,000 Afro Caribbeans, aged between 18-44, who live in England & Wales alone. Just 17,000 have joined the UK Bone Marrow Register!
Fact 2: The donor process is not as hard or painful as you may think: The procedure takes place under a general anaesthesia and generally takes about 45 minutes to an hour. About 2-3% of your bone marrow is removed, a few tablespoons at a time, through a small incision in your hip (not the spinal area). The removed bone marrow fluid will fully replace itself within 3-10 days after the procedure. Most donors experience mild back pain for a few days following the surgery and some fatigue.
Most donors have said they would donate again if asked! An alternative method: Marrow is donated as Stem Cells in a procedure called a Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC). No general anaesthesia is needed. For 4 hours blood is drawn from a vein in one arm, directed into a special filtered machine which keeps the Stem Cells, but directly returns the blood to a vein in the other arm. You are wide awake and can return straight back home or to work. For more information, please contact
ACLT (African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust); Tel: 020 8667 1122 | Email: info@aclt.org | Web: www.aclt.org, The Anthony Nolan Trust: Web: anthonynolan.org.uk

No comments: