Beating the Odds Starts
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Volunteer at a Drive
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Drives are hosted around the country on a regular basis. Now college campuses are starting to get involved in spreading awareness and finding potential donors.
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Images borrowed from Be the Match and Delete Blood Cancer.
Mountain Pointe High School, Tempe, AZ Breaks Donor Record
by Marina Sampanes Peed
I had the honor to take part in Mountain Pointe High School's 3rd Annual Be the Match swab drive on May 8, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. Organized by the Foreign Language Honor Society with the leadership of Spanish teacher Señora Donna Barry Sampanes, this year's drive was particularly powerful.
"We're creating awareness of the need for marrow and stem cell donors at lunch time for two weeks leading up to the drive. Our student volunteers sit at a table with Be the Match (R) information and encourage students to share their spare change to help pay for donor swabs processed and entered into the database. They also answer questions and encourage people to stop by the drive and learn more. Next year's seniors will have heard about this every year at Mountain Pointe and will finally be able to register when they are 18," said Señora Sampanes.
Their first swab drive was in May, 2013 when I was in need of a blood stem cell transplant from a matched unrelated donor. Donna, my sister-in-law (though we drop the "in-law" from our personal interactions), sprang into action by engaging her school in our search for a life saver. She continues this effort so that others like me may also have a chance for a cure.
It was an honor to meet these dedicated high school students who continue support Be the Match registry year after year. This year, 89 people got swabbed and joined the national registry!
Real, Live Life Savers
One of the first Mountain Pointe seniors to swab in 2013, Andrew Argaez, learned that he was a match for a leukemia patient just a few months after he joined the registry. I was thrilled to meet him in person. I asked if I could hug him and thanked him profusely for his gift of life. Through Andrew, I was able to express my love and gratitude for my own anonymous donor, whom I've yet to meet.
Andrew A. donated his marrow in 2013 and Brie is a match for someone now.I also met Brie, a graduating senior, who has been notified that she is a match for someone. She is undergoing the further testing now. Andrew shared his experience and encouraged her to follow through the process. "I'd do it again, for sure!" Andrew said.
Let's Find Mia's Match!
Mia needs her "match" to cure her from Diamond Blacktan Anemia.If meeting these living lifesavers wasn't enough, I met a most inspiring, vivacious 12 year old named Mia. Mia has the extremely rare Diamond Blacktan Anemia (less than 800 cases in the US). She does not make red blood cells. She relies on blood donors for her red blood cells. Mia and her mother, Kristi, attend many Be the Match events to educate people on the need for more donors in the registry. Mia's match has not yet been found. She has a great community page on Facebook: Mia's Marrow.
Biology Classes ROCK!
I was invited to speak to seven Biology and Biology Tech classes on Thursday before the swab drive. Thanks to Mr. Roger LeBlanc and Ms. Meredith Morrissey for allowing me to talk with your students! I shared my story and the discussion in each class took a slightly different turn, as student interests and experiences varied. I was impressed with how many students are aware of chronic invisible illnesses and the impacts they have on the person afflicted and their loved ones. The experience also renewed my appreciation for the work teachers do each and every day for our kids and our community.
I had the honor to take part in Mountain Pointe High School's 3rd Annual Be the Match swab drive on May 8, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. Organized by the Foreign Language Honor Society with the leadership of Spanish teacher Señora Donna Barry Sampanes, this year's drive was particularly powerful.
"We're creating awareness of the need for marrow and stem cell donors at lunch time for two weeks leading up to the drive. Our student volunteers sit at a table with Be the Match (R) information and encourage students to share their spare change to help pay for donor swabs processed and entered into the database. They also answer questions and encourage people to stop by the drive and learn more. Next year's seniors will have heard about this every year at Mountain Pointe and will finally be able to register when they are 18," said Señora Sampanes.
Their first swab drive was in May, 2013 when I was in need of a blood stem cell transplant from a matched unrelated donor. Donna, my sister-in-law (though we drop the "in-law" from our personal interactions), sprang into action by engaging her school in our search for a life saver. She continues this effort so that others like me may also have a chance for a cure.
It was an honor to meet these dedicated high school students who continue support Be the Match registry year after year. This year, 89 people got swabbed and joined the national registry!
Real, Live Life Savers
One of the first Mountain Pointe seniors to swab in 2013, Andrew Argaez, learned that he was a match for a leukemia patient just a few months after he joined the registry. I was thrilled to meet him in person. I asked if I could hug him and thanked him profusely for his gift of life. Through Andrew, I was able to express my love and gratitude for my own anonymous donor, whom I've yet to meet.
Andrew A. donated his marrow in 2013 and Brie is a match for someone now.I also met Brie, a graduating senior, who has been notified that she is a match for someone. She is undergoing the further testing now. Andrew shared his experience and encouraged her to follow through the process. "I'd do it again, for sure!" Andrew said.
Let's Find Mia's Match!
Mia needs her "match" to cure her from Diamond Blacktan Anemia.If meeting these living lifesavers wasn't enough, I met a most inspiring, vivacious 12 year old named Mia. Mia has the extremely rare Diamond Blacktan Anemia (less than 800 cases in the US). She does not make red blood cells. She relies on blood donors for her red blood cells. Mia and her mother, Kristi, attend many Be the Match events to educate people on the need for more donors in the registry. Mia's match has not yet been found. She has a great community page on Facebook: Mia's Marrow.
Biology Classes ROCK!
I was invited to speak to seven Biology and Biology Tech classes on Thursday before the swab drive. Thanks to Mr. Roger LeBlanc and Ms. Meredith Morrissey for allowing me to talk with your students! I shared my story and the discussion in each class took a slightly different turn, as student interests and experiences varied. I was impressed with how many students are aware of chronic invisible illnesses and the impacts they have on the person afflicted and their loved ones. The experience also renewed my appreciation for the work teachers do each and every day for our kids and our community.
Seniors at Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee, GA rock 2nd Swab Drive
by Marina Sampanes Peed
While I was at a hospital undergoing surgery to remove my worn-out gall bladder and erratic appendix, my kids and their friends pulled off a great Swab Drive to build the Marrow Donor Registry and help Delete Blood Cancer.
Check out the photos on the "SharingLifeFoundation.us" facebook page and you will be inspired by the big hearts of these high school seniors of all races and ethnicities who stepped up to get swabbed and join the registry.
This is the second drive held at my kids' high school. We held a drive last May when I had yet to find a blood stem cell donor for myself. Last May, we were newbies to the donor registration process. Since then my kids, friends, family, and neighbors have held 16 more swab drives just in Georgia!
Two people who registered at PRHS last year have been contacted as potential matches for patients and they've agreed to proceed with the process.
I'll report on the two swab drives at Mountain Pointe High School in Tempe, organized by my amazing sister (-in law), Donna Barry Sampanes. Donna is the Foreign Languages Department Chair and has forged a great relationship with Be the Match in Phoenix. Stay tuned!
While I was at a hospital undergoing surgery to remove my worn-out gall bladder and erratic appendix, my kids and their friends pulled off a great Swab Drive to build the Marrow Donor Registry and help Delete Blood Cancer.
Check out the photos on the "SharingLifeFoundation.us" facebook page and you will be inspired by the big hearts of these high school seniors of all races and ethnicities who stepped up to get swabbed and join the registry.
This is the second drive held at my kids' high school. We held a drive last May when I had yet to find a blood stem cell donor for myself. Last May, we were newbies to the donor registration process. Since then my kids, friends, family, and neighbors have held 16 more swab drives just in Georgia!
Two people who registered at PRHS last year have been contacted as potential matches for patients and they've agreed to proceed with the process.
I'll report on the two swab drives at Mountain Pointe High School in Tempe, organized by my amazing sister (-in law), Donna Barry Sampanes. Donna is the Foreign Languages Department Chair and has forged a great relationship with Be the Match in Phoenix. Stay tuned!
