Bone marrow registry event set for October 24

Alumni, students and community members will have the opportunity to potentially save a life by registering to become a bone marrow donor October 24 during Homecoming. 

WZZM-TV and Michigan Blood will host a donor registration drive from 9 a.m.-noon at the outdoor basketball courts next to the Kelly Family Sports Center on the Allendale Campus. Free parking will be available in lot G until noon. 

The Be The Match Registry recruits potential bone marrow donors for people around the world. Patients diagnosed with life-threatening diseases, like leukemia or lymphoma, are often in need of a transplant, such as a blood stem cell (marrow) transplant. A suitable match is found outside of a patient's family 70 percent of the time. 

Caitlin Regan, community engagement representative for Michigan Blood, said while there are more than 27 million potential donors on the international registry, there are still patients who do not have a match. 

"It's very important that we keep educating and encouraging committed donors to join the registry to give hope to patients fighting blood cancer all over the world," said Regan. 

The 20-minute registration process includes a cheek-swab and simple questionnaire. Then donors are entered into a database and contacted if they match a patient. 

The event is in conjunction with national Make a Difference Day.