BloodCenter of Wisconsin to Host Marrow Registration Drive

Beloit teen needs a life-saving marrow match

August 12, 2013 — BloodCenter of Wisconsin will host “No One Fights Alone,” a marrow registration drive to find a life-saving match for a local student. BloodCenter is partnering with Isaac’s Team, a community group seeking a marrow donor match for 14-year-old Isaac DeForest-Davis. The drive will take place Saturday, August 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Merrill Community Center, 1428 W. Wisconsin Ave., in Beloit.      

Isaac, an eighth-grade student at Aldrich Middle School, has epilepsy and was recently diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Isaac is being treated with chemotherapy, but he needs a marrow transplant. His family encourages the Beloit community to join the Be The Match Registry in the hopes that they will find a life-saving match for Isaac and other patients in need.

African-American community members are especially encouraged to participate. For a patient in need of a marrow transplant, a donor of the same racial or ethnic background provides the best chance of success. Of the 10.5 million donors on the national registry, only seven percent are African-American and four percent are multiracial. 

Basic requirements for registering to be a potential marrow donor include being between the ages of 18 and 44, in general good health and willing to be available if identified as a match for a patient in need. The process, including paperwork, takes approximately 15 minutes. Once a health history form is completed, a mouth swab test is given. The swabs are tested to determine tissue type. Individuals are only contacted if identified as a match.

For more information regarding BloodCenter of Wisconsin’s Marrow Donor Program and how to join please call 1-866-702-HOPE or visit www.bcw.edu/marrow. 

About BloodCenter of Wisconsin
BloodCenter of Wisconsin is a private, not-for-profit organization that specializes in blood services, organ and tissue recovery, marrow donation and education, diagnostic testing, medical services and leading-edge research. BloodCenter of Wisconsin is the only provider of blood to hospitals in 29 Wisconsin counties including all community hospitals in Southeastern Wisconsin. BloodCenter of Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s local connection to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) which helps connect volunteer donors around the country with patients who need transplants. BloodCenter of Wisconsin advances patient care by delivering life-saving solutions grounded in unparalleled medical and scientific expertise. For more information, visit www.bcw.edu.