Bone Marrow Donor Registration Drives
National Service
Coordinator
Sathya Sai Organization of
USA
September 12, 2008
Sai Ram Regional Service Coordinators,
Previously I alerted you that the USA Sai Organization could set up Bone Marrow Registration as a national service project during a two-week period in May 2009. Because of the very small number of minorities on the national bone marrow registry, registration is free for minorities. But non-minorities would be charged $60 to register. During a brief period in May 2009, all registrations would be free (including non-minorities).
But there is a vital need right now on the national bone registry for South Asian registrants. The National Bone Marrow Donor Program has 5 million registered donors, but less than 1% are South Asians. Consequently, many Asian Americans, with various forms of cancer, whose lives might be saved, are forced to go without treatment.
A
“Do not serve for the sake of reward; serve because you are urged by Love. Service is its own reward. Do not worry about the result. Help as much as you can, as efficiently as you can, as SILENTLY as you can, and as lovingly as you can; leave the rest to God, who gave you a chance to serve.”
This young man and his family, faced with such tragedy, are giving us the opportunity to “serve because we are urged by Love.” He and his family are in need in ways we can help. This seva program has received the approval and support of David Gris, Phil Gosselin, and Jonathan Roof of the Sai Central Council.
Registration is a very simple process. Tissue sample
is an oral swab (no blood needed). A form is filled out, and mailed with
the Q-Tip in a packet with postage already paid for. If a match is
found, donors may refuse later if contacted by the National Bone Marrow
Donor Program. Complete information about organizing a
Last evening I spoke with Karthik Angamurthu, who has
much experience with bone marrow registrations, and he will assist us
and coordinate our efforts through
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We need to identify volunteers from all Sai centers willing to host a donor registration drive.
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From those volunteers, we need to identify those devotees to be trained in registering donors.
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Registration training (taking the oral swap, familiarity with forms and mailing process) is brief and will be done online and by telephone.
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Dates and places of donor drives need to be established.
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Donor registration packets will be shipped to centers in time for the drive.
Regional Service Coordinators, please begin contacting your center service coordinators about initiating this effort as soon as possible. The young man described above does not have that much time. There are different ways to organize a drive, but the quickest way is to follow the above process and hold a drive before or after your center meeting. Another way, described in the above link, suggests ways to promote a drive that would solicit a larger group, including non-devotees, from the Asian American community.
The responses from the recent survey to Regional
Service Coordinators included a question concerning a
I have attached a one-page flyer with brief information about the man in need of the bone marrow, along with some additional information. This is an opportunity we all have to provide immeasurable help to so many who are helpless. Please send me the names and contact information soon so we can get started.
In Sai Love,
Jack Feely
National Service Coordinator
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National
Primary Contacts for Bone Marrow Drive in
Dr. Jack Feely – National Service Coordinator:
Email:
jfeely@ta-stl.com
Karthik Angamuthu
Cell: 512-947.2178
Office: 512-725-0335
Email: k_angamuthu@dell.com
Websites: www.LifeForManish.Org This website is informative and provides answers to most questions...