HLA Registry

[Bill Bauknecht]

Thank you Kevin and you are right on about the donor situation. There are three kinds of bone marrow transplants. One is having a donor. This is probably the best for cure since there is fresh marrow, cancer free, put back into the body. There are draw backs, one being, like any transplant there can be rejection problems even though the marrow matches. The donor transplant takes longer for the new marrow to take hold and start producing white cells to build back the immune system which had been reduced to zero, prior to xplant. This means that the patient is in the danger zone longer, if there is an infection of some kind it can be fatal. This was never an option to me, I think maybe because of my age. The second xplant is taking one's own marrow before hand, cleansing it and putting it back in. This of course is done hoping that the cancer is cleansed out of the marrow. The third type is the one I had which is taking out the patients stem cells, cleansing them and putting them back in. The difference is the stem cells are the mother or perifial cells that produce the bone marrow. This has become very popular since they do not think there is as much cancer in these cells and they take hold faster, getting the patient out of the danger zone faster. Any of these xplants are unpleasant!! They are finding that these xplants are working on more and more types of cancer. Multiple myeloma, which I have. and (excuse spellings) Luekemia, Lymphoma, non hodgkins, breast cancer and others.
Bill

[Kevin Mackie]

Hello Bill, Welcome. All the best to you for a successful recovery!

I have been registered with the HLA Registry Foundation since 1991. You are one of the lucky ones. I spoke with the director of the foundation last year to inquire why I had not even been called to donate marrow. The sad fact is, getting the right match has the odds stacked against it. It's much worse for minorities.

Perhaps your readers will take the time to call 800-336-3363 to inquire about becoming a donor.

HLA Registry Foundation , Inc.
70 Grand River Avenue
River Edge, NJ 07661-1935

You are reading this because someone took that step. Many others can be helped as well. Spread the word!

VTY

Kevin Mackie