Register Feb. 24 to save a life

USA Health is partnering with Be the Match to save lives. Each day, thousands of people with blood diseases such as leukemia and sickle cell are searching for a marrow donor to save their lives. Usually, the donor match is not found within the family. That is where Be the Match comes in.

USA Health is hosting a recruitment drive on Thursday, Feb. 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the cafés at Children’s & Women’s Hospital and University Hospital.

If you are healthy and between the ages of 18 and 40, please register. By taking just a few minutes to answer questions on your cell phone and swab your cheek, you will be added to the registry within a few weeks.

If you match, you likely will be asked to undergo a procedure very similar to a platelet blood donation called peripheral blood stem cell donation (PBSC). Seldom, but occasionally, the searching patient’s doctor will request a marrow donation, a procedure that is accomplished with anesthesia but that can result in minor lower back/hip discomfort that subsides within days.

Be the Match covers all associated costs and works with your schedule to make it as convenient as possible.

With a swab of your cheek, you could become a life-saving match.

For more information, visit bethematch.org.