Gift Of Life Marrow Registry Invites Lgbtq+ To Swab With Pride And Fight Blood Cancer At June 1 Event
Everyone 18 to 35 years old and in general good health is welcome to join the registry for the chance to save a life.
- West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL (1888PressRelease) May 31, 2024 - Gift of Life Marrow Registry is excited to kick off its annual Swab With Pride national campaign during the month of June to encourage potential blood stem cell and marrow donors from the LGBTQ+ community to join the registry. While gay men, especially, still face challenges to giving whole blood at blood banks, such restrictions do not apply to the transplant of stem cells and bone marrow, which are considered to be tissue donation.
Gift of Life will host a recruitment drive to register potential donors on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at Pride on the Block, 500 block of Clematis Street, West Palm Beach from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Just a simple mouth swab and a short health questionnaire are needed to join the registry for the chance to save someone’s life.
Through Gift of Life Marrow Registry, members of the LGBTQ+ community can engage in the lifesaving community service many have wished for. Everyone 18 to 35 years old and in general good health is welcome to join the registry. Gift of Life emphasizes that all donors complete the same health screening, regardless of sexual identity or orientation.
Many Gift of Life donors from the LGBTQ+ community have donated stem cells or marrow to help cure those battling leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, sickle cell, and inherited immune disorders.
“Donating bone marrow as a gay man felt empowering, said Gift of Life donor Tony Joe Connell. “When I first met my recipient, Brianne, face-to-face, it was incredible – what a remarkable person she is. Our community has endured a lot, both good and bad, but something that has not changed is our unwavering power of kindness. Get out there, register, and help save a life.”
Matches are based on tissue types called Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) inherited from biological parents and ancestors. But 70% of patients are not able to find a match within their family and must look to the worldwide registry for help. The more people – and the greater diversity of people – who join the registry, the more lives will be saved.
To join Gift of Life's registry or make a financial contribution during the Swab With Pride campaign, potential donors and contributors may visit giftoflife.org/pride.
About Gift of Life Marrow Registry
Gift of Life Marrow Registry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. Established in 1991, Gift of Life Marrow Registry is dedicated to saving lives by facilitating blood stem cell and bone marrow transplants for patients battling leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell, inherited immune disorders, and other blood-related diseases. To learn more about Gift of Life Marrow Registry, visit www.giftoflife.org.
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