Recently I signed up to join the bone marrow registry. Everyone's immediate reaction is, "That's so painful!" It is possible that they are right. However, there are a few things wrong with that argument: 1) It is not as painful as having cancer. 2) There is a new procedure where you do not have to have bone marrow taken out of the base of your spine. This new procedure involves taking a medication to hop up your blood stem cell count, then they take blood out of one arm, extract the stem cells, and put your blood back into your other arm. It can take 1-2 days, and possibly cause some flu-like symptoms, but most people recover within a day or two of donating. The spinal tap procedure does still exist (the bone marrow actually comes out of the back of your pelvis) but the website claims it's painless. The doctor will determine which procedure will be most appropriate. And to sign up all you have to do is swab some tissue off of your cheek. I did it at my desk while I was at work it's so simple.

Voila, you just saved a life.


http://www.getswabbed.org/