Beth Yarnall: Are YOU the Match?

If you’re expecting a post on writing or books I’m going to disappoint you. Hopefully your disappointment will quickly morph into curiosity then into action. You see I’m going to talk about bone marrow donation. Did you know that as many as 3,000 people die each year waiting for a bone marrow transplant? And only 2% of the American population is on the national bone marrow registry. It’s not as simple as a blood match. Bone marrow donors must match on a deep genetic level, making it difficult to find matches for minorities and people of mixed race.

I’m sure you’ve heard, as I had, that donating bone marrow is a painful, dangerous process. Not true. I’m here to give you the facts from the Be the Match Registry (formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Program) and try to dispel some of those myths. From the Be the Match website:

MYTH: All bone marrow donations involve surgery.
FACT:  The majority of donations do not involve surgery. Today, the patient's doctor most often requests a peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation, which is non-surgical.
The second way of donating is marrow donation, which is a surgical procedure.
In each case, donors typically go home the same day they donate.

MYTH: Donating is painful and involves a long recovery.
FACT:  There can be uncomfortable but short-lived side effects of donating PBSC. Due to taking a drug called filgrastim for five days leading up to donation, PBSC donors may have headaches, joint or muscle aches, or fatigue. PBSC donors are typically back to their normal routine in one to two days.
Those donating marrow receive general or regional anesthesia, so they feel no pain during donation. Marrow donors can expect to feel some soreness in their lower back for one to two weeks afterward. Most marrow donors are back to their normal activities in two to seven days.

MYTH: Donating is dangerous and weakens the donor.
FACT:  Though no medical procedure is without risk, there are rarely any long-term side effects. Be The Match® carefully prescreens all donors to ensure they are healthy and the procedure is safe for them. We also provide support and information every step of the way.
Because only five percent or less of a donor's marrow is needed to save the patient's life, the donor's immune system stays strong and the cells replace themselves within four to six weeks.

MYTH: In bone marrow donation, pieces of bone are removed from the donor.
FACT:  No pieces of bone are taken during marrow donation. Only the liquid marrow found inside the pelvic bone is needed to save the patient's life.

MYTH: Donors have to pay to donate.
FACT:  Donors never pay to donate. We reimburse travel costs and may reimburse other costs on a case-by-case basis.

And the initial test is EASY. Just four swabs in your cheeks. The kit is free and you can do the test at home. It even includes postage. So how do you know if you’re eligible to be on the registry?
-Are you between the ages of 18 and 60?
-Are you in overall good health and meet medical guidelines (see the website)?
-Are you willing to donate to any patient in need?
-Do you understand the donation process?
-Do you live in the United States or Puerto Rico?
-Are you currently not in the U.S. military?

If you answered yes to the above questions, then you meet the basic requirements to join the Be the Match registry. So what are you waiting for? Go on. Order your test today. You could save a life.

Still Have Questions about testing and donation?
Check out the Be the Match website at – http://marrow.org/Home.aspx
or call 1-(800) MARROW-2 (1-800-627-7692).

And now I have a question for you that actually is book related… If you could recommend one romance novel of any sub-genre to someone who’s never read romance, which novel would you recommend and why?


Rush~Book One in the Pleasure at Home Series
Someone is stalking Miyuki Price-Jones.
As the host of a very successful home shopping TV show that sells adult toys, Mi has become the object of an ex-con’s obsession, requiring the services of ex-Navy SEAL turned bodyguard, Lucas Vega. As the attraction between Lucas and Mi grows, Lucas has a difficult time keeping his feelings for Mi separate from his mission to keep her safe. A mission that is more challenging than anyone could have predicted. 
    Damaged by their pasts, Lucas and Mi find more in common then they could have imagined and secrets they thought would tear them apart could be the ties that bind them together forever. But with the stalker growing bolder, Lucas and Mi must learn to trust each other or risk losing more than their hearts. 
One of them could lose their life.

Beth Yarnall writes romantic suspense, mysteries and the occasional hilarious blog post. Beth lives deep in the heart of `The O.C.' California with her husband, two sons, and their dog where she is hard at work on her next novel. For more information about Beth and her stories please visit her website- www.bethyarnall.com.