Team Tyndall to participate in C.W. Bill Young DoD Marrow Donor Program

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Solomon Cook
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Team Tyndall Airmen will have the chance to give back by signing up to donate bone marrow through the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program slated for Feb. 5-9.

Airmen can sign up to donate within their units. Additionally, there will be a booth set up at the Base Exchange Feb. 9.

The program allows uniformed and civilian DoD personnel, as well as their dependents ages 18-60, to become registered donors.

Bone marrow cells can be used to treat and cure patients who are diagnosed with blood diseases.

“Our Team Tyndall Airmen have an opportunity to save someone’s life in a way they never even considered,” said Master Sgt. Jason Gilbert, 325th Fighter Wing Inspector General self-assessment program Management Internal Control Toolset manager and Tyndall’s point of contact for the event. “Since the inception of the C.W. Bill Young DoD Marrow Donor Program, also known as ‘Salute to Life,’ they have recruited more than 1 million individuals to fight against blood cancer and other fatal diseases.

 

“The gifts of hope and health given by donors affect their recipients’ entire lives,” he added.

 

One of the overall purposes of the drive is to increase the pool of possible matches for life-saving procedures, as the pairing of donor and recipient have been historically low.

 

According to the Health Resources and Services Administration website, each year, more than 20,000 people are diagnosed with diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma or severe aplastic anemia, which require an infusion of blood-producing stem cells. Furthermore, according to the National Marrow Donor Program website, about 70 percent of patients are unable to find a fully matched donor within their own family and will require an unrelated volunteer donor.

 

Gilbert went on to further explain the process it takes to become a donor.

 

“To join the national registry of bone marrow and stem cell donors, you must complete a consent form and cheek swab,” he elaborated. “It takes about seven minutes to register. You will remain on the registry until you turn 61 years of age or ask to be removed. There is no cost to join the registry or donate, but there is no payment either. However, donors do not have to pay for any part of donation including travel fees and medical expenses.”

 

The stem cells taken from the procedure can be obtained by two different processes.

 

Bone marrow donation – Is the traditional method where marrow is removed from the hip bone using a needle. This is done under general anesthesia and requires an overnight stay in a hospital.

 

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) donation – The donor receives several doses of a drug called Filgrastim, which causes the bones to release marrow (or stem) cells into the blood. The cells are removed using an apheresis machine, a type of blood screening machine, over several hours at an apheresis center.

 

“No matter the method of donation, less than 5 percent of cells are removed, and most donors recover fully within two weeks,” Gilbert noted.

 

Airmen should contact their unit representatives for the drive sign-up to obtain more details.

 

“The 325th FW point of contact is Master Sgt. Angela Hayes, 325th Medical Support Squadron,” Gilbert said. “[Airmen will] start seeing flyers dispersed throughout the base this week. Throughout the week of Feb. 5-8, each unit will have points of contact to assist the process of those registering. On Feb. 9, points of contact will be at our Base Exchange, where eligible individuals could register there as well.”

 

For more information on the C.W. Bill Young DoD Marrow Donor Program, visit www.salutetolife.org or call (850) 283-7605.