Bone marrow drive for deployed Army sergeant's daughter

  • Published
  • By Robin DeMark
  • 4 FW/PA
Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. --  Airmen, civilians and dependents with a Department of Defense identification card can participate in the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base DoD Bone Marrow Donor registration drive at the 4th Medical Group clinic on Aug. 25, followed by a second drive at various venues projected for late September.

Seymour Johnson and Maxwell AFB, Ala. are conducting bone marrow drives to find a donor match for deployed Army Staff Sgt. Nathan Thomas' daughter Kara. Currently there are no compatible matches in the national database for Kara, whose best hope for survival is a bone marrow transplant to fight an inoperable cancer.

"This is a chance to save a life when a patient has run out of all other options," said Senior Master Sgt. Mike Jenkins, 4th Medical Operations Squadron superintendent. "You have less than a two percent chance of being a match; but, if you are (a match) you can save a life! If donating marrow could extend a person's life expectancy or help them overcome a terrible diagnoses such as Leukemia, then I feel we should all register and donate if called upon. Think of your own children or family members."

Giving an oral swab sample is one of the simplest ways to test a person's Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) type. Each HLA type is coded in the national registry and listed as a potential donor 18-60 years of age. Medical teams throughout the U.S. and the world search the database to find a donor if a family member is not a match. Once a potential match is identified, the C.W. Bill Young/DoD Marrow Donor Center asks the donor if they want to continue with further blood testing identifying an exact match for a recipient.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for our Airmen and their families to give back and be a part of a life-saving technology that allows someone to live longer and have a second chance at life," said Col. Leslie Claravall, 4th MDG commander. "For our warriors in combat, this program improves military capabilities so we can rapidly respond to radiation and chemical attacks causing bone marrow damage. This is another way for our Airmen to support their wingman and global communities."

One of the most common misconceptions of donating bone marrow is that the process is painful.

"There are two ways for the collection process to happen," Jenkins said. "One is a simple stem cell collection which is kind of like donating blood and the other is the marrow collection. Which one is used depends on the individual circumstances of the patient needing the transplant. At worst it is usually described as mild discomfort in the hip area and localized soreness for a few days."

Another misconception is thinking someone cannot be a bone marrow donor if they cannot be a blood donor. For bone marrow donors, traveling overseas, having tattoos and getting anti-malarial drugs does not disqualify potential donors.

According to the C.W. Bill Young/DoD Marrow Donor Program, the military is the nation's largest source of whole blood donations and active duty members meet strict health and age requirements.

"Every mission is ultimately about saving lives," said Nicholas Gray of New York Production Services. "This is an opportunity to save lives here on the home front. Maximizing turnout will not only give Kara the best chance, but could help thousands more every year."

To sign up or get more information on the base bone marrow drive, contact Jenkins at 722-1765. For more information about the C.W. Bill Young/DoD Marrow Donor Center, visit www.dodmarrow.com or call 1-800-MARROW-3.