An Urgent Appeal from a Wife and Mother
My name is Anupama, I am 29 years old. I had a picture
perfect life with a loving husband and a doting 3 ½ year
old son. All this came crashing down when I was
diagnosed with “ALL”, a fatal “Blood Cancer”. Everything
that I held close to my heart is now threatened. I was
given chemotherapy and went into remission for (2)
years. But unfortunately this year I relapsed, the
leukemia is back. Doctors now tell me that my only
chance for survival is a marrow/blood stem cell
transplant from a matched donor. The best chance I have
of finding a match is from the South Asian community. I
appeal to every individual between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health to
become a volunteer bone marrow donor, so that someone may match me or any
other patient that is in a similar dire situation. Initially you have to give a small
sample of blood and sign a consent form and if you match you will have an
opportunity to donate marrow/ blood stem cells to save my life or any other
patient needing a marrow/blood stem cell transplant. Please register yourself at
donor recruitment drives being organized by SAMAR. You can give me a second
chance at life and give a mother back to my son and a wife to my husband.
When and Where
Sri Siva Vishnu Temple: Nov 13th & Nov 20th 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
6905 Cipriano Road, Lanham, MD 20706 , 301-552-3335
Rajadhani Mandir: Nov 13th 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
4525 Pleasant Valley Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151, 703-378-8401, 8402
For more information call (718) 592- 0821 or email: samarinfo@aol.com
www.SAMARINFO.org
An Official Recruitment Group of National
Marrow Donor Program
* Over 1,000 Drives * Recruited: 50,000 Donors * Transplants Facilitated: 50 * Helped 150 Patients
FAQs
If you are like most people, you will have a few basic questions about what it means to
get tested. It’s natural to be unsure and perhaps a bit apprehensive.
What exactly is a marrow / stem cell transplant?
Simply, it is the replacement of diseased marrow with marrow from a healthy donor. It
is infused into a patient’s vein just like a blood transfusion. Within 2-3 weeks, the
marrow / stem cells begin to produce normal blood cells in the patient.
If I am a match, will the donation process be harmful to me?
Nowadays, most stem cell donation is done by a minimally invasive procedure. It
involves an injection that releases the stem cells from your bone marrow into your blood
stream. Your blood will then be drawn, the stem cells harvested, and the rest of your
blood given back to you. This procedure requires no anesthesia and no hospital stay
and is minimally painful.
What is the blood test process to see if I am a match?
To get tested, you will provide a small sample of blood (about a spoonful) at a blood drive,
test center, or by your physician. Your blood will then be HLA-typed. This information
will then be stored in a national registry. That way, if a match comes up with a patient
in need down the road, the registry will be able to contact you.
How do I know if I am a match?
If you are found to be a possible match with Anu or another patient, you will be
contacted immediately and give you the option of proceeding to the next level/s of
testing to insure final compatibility.
What are the chances of finding a compatible donor?
The chance of matching Anu or any other patient is 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 100,000. It is
vital that everyone get tested to increase Anu’s and other patients’ chances of survival.
YOU could be that special life-giving person!
Can I be a donor?
Yes, you can be a donor as long as you are in generally good health, between 18-60 years
of age, with no history of cancer, diabetes, or certain other conditions (if you are in
doubt, please check with us).
What if I can’t make it to this blood drive?
Several blood test drives are scheduled in the upcoming weeks around the country.
Visit www.samarinfo.org for locations, dates, and times.
What if I’ve already registered before?
We thank you for your generosity. If you have already registered in the National Marrow
Donor program, you do not need to be tested again. Your information is already in the
database. However, please make sure your contact information in the registry remains
updated in case you are a potential match.