EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University's football program hosted a "Be The Match" bone marrow registry drive for individuals ages 18-44 on Thursday, April 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the University Center.
The registry drive requires just a cheek swab that will be later tested for specific markers. Individuals ages 18 to 44 are encouraged to attend, due to medical research that shows donors in that age bracket provide the greatest chance for transplant success.
Be The Match, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program, manages the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world. The program supports the thousands of people diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers like Leukemia and Lymphoma.
This is the second year that the football program has held a "Be The Match" bone marrow registry drive.
ESU's women's lacrosse program held a registry drive in December 2014 in support of teammate Alyssa Oxenford, who was diagnosed with Leukemia in May 2014 and passed away in August 2015. She is remembered each year with the Alyssa Oxenford Memorial Game and scholarship, presented each spring to an ESU women's lacrosse player.
The complete "Be The Match" press release is below.
WHAT: East Stroudsburg University has joined former Villanova Head Football Coach, Andy Talley, and Be The Match® to help save lives by recruiting potential marrow donors. This year, more than 80 football teams from colleges and universities across the nation are participating in the program to recruit new registry members.
Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with a life-threatening blood cancer. More than 12,000 patients don't have a matching marrow donor within their family. They depend on Be The Match to help find someone to give them hope for a cure.
The Get in the Game. Save A Life. Program raises awareness of this need and invites students, faculty, staff and the community to join the Be The Match Registry. To sign up as a committed registry member, people need to meet age and health guidelines and be willing to donate to any patient in need. Registration involves completing a health history form and giving a swab of cheek cells. Those of diverse racial or ethnic heritage are especially needed. Donors and patients who share the same ancestry are mostly likely to match.
WHY: For 26 years, former Villanova Head Football Coach, Andy Talley, has been committed to raising awareness of the need for marrow donors and helping patients receive life-saving transplants. He has recruited thousands of potential donors to the registry by encouraging his football players, other students and their peers to register, along with friends, family and teachers. Last year, more than 13,500 people joined the Be The Match Registry through Get in the Game. Save A Life. donor registry drives.
About Be The Match
For people with life-threatening blood cancers—like leukemia and lymphoma—or other diseases, a cure exists. Be The Match connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. People can contribute to the cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry, financial contributor or volunteer. Be The Match provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant.
Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.
