Gift Of Life Club At Indiana University To Host Second 'Swab Week'
Club's first 'Swab Week' held last year resulted in 10 lifesaving matches for patients in need.
- (1888PressRelease) April 08, 2023 - Cancer is a random killer. It can strike any one of us at any time. For many patients battling leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell and genetic diseases, there is hope of a cure through a blood stem cell or bone marrow transplant. That is, of course, if a donor can be found.
The Gift of Life Club at IU (Indiana University) will be hosting 'Swab Week' from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April 10-14. There will be tables throughout campus to recruit people to join the registry to become volunteer donors. This is the club’s second 'Swab Week', but their first as an official IU club.
The group is affiliated with the Gift of Life Marrow Registry, a nonprofit organization based in the United States that facilitates stem cell and marrow transplants around the world. Anyone 18-35 years old and in general good health can join the registry at no cost, and may have the chance to save someone’s life if found as a match for a patient in need.
The Gift of Life Club held a similar 'Swab Week' last semester, collecting more than 1,000 swab kits that have already resulted in finding 10 lifesaving matches. The goal for this week is to get 4,000 swabs, and registration locations will be at 10th and Fee, The IMU, Wells Bus Stop and outside Ballantine Hall.
IU freshman and Vice President of the Gift of Life Club at IU Tommy Hartman said this semester’s Swab Week is themed “Save 500,” because of the Little 500 being a week later. At the recruitment tables, individuals will be able to swab their own cheek, learn about what it means to be on the registry and spin the prize wheel to win themed merchandise.
“Those who swab will also have to take an online health questionnaire,” said Gift of Life Marrow Registry Recruitment Specialist Jordan Ledyard. “Once someone matches with a recipient, the individual will get a blood test and a physical exam done before the donation to ensure the donor’s health and safety.”
IU junior and President of the Gift of Life Club at IU Jane Georgas said that 70% of patients do not find their donor match within their family and use registries like the Gift of Life Marrow Registry to find one. She added that the diversity of the IU student body helps more patients find their matches, an issue of key importance as patients of minority and multi-racial ancestry have a much harder time finding donors due to lower representation in the registry.
For more information about Gift of Life and saving lives through stem cell and marrow donation, please visit giftoflife.org.
About Gift of Life Marrow Registry
Gift of Life Marrow Registry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. The organization, established in 1991, is dedicated to saving lives by facilitating blood stem cell and bone marrow transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell and other blood-related diseases. The registry houses its own state-of-the-art stem cell collection center, biobank, and laboratory. To learn more, visit.www.giftoflife.org.
###
space
space
Satisfied Users & 
Approved Press Releases
Print
Email
Report Spam