Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine is hosting a bone marrow registration drive from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 11 in East Fee Hall.
The college has teamed up with the National Be the Match Bone Marrow Registration to host drives at MSU and in the local community. They have been successful in receiving a $1,000 donation from Meijer Corporation, as well as sponsorship from the Michigan Osteopathic Association with a grant of $1,000 for the project.
Donors are by no means obligated to donate marrow if they are called upon in the future, and may remove themselves at any time. Signing up includes filling out a simple form and a swab of your mouth that will be used to identify potential matches in the future. New medical advances have made donating bone marrow very similar to simply donating blood.
“Registering is important because you never know which friend, family member or young child may need the life-saving effort you made,” said Brian Fiani, a second-year student in the College of Osteopathic Medicine and an organizer of the registration drive. “It is a gift that lasts a lifetime.”
The project’s goal is to have as many people as possible from the greater Lansing area and MSU campus register with the program. There is a significant need for minorities to register.
To register, you must be 18-44 years old and in good health.
If you are called upon in the future, there are donation centers across the nation so you never have to travel and you can pick a day that best works for you.
For more information, contact Brian Fiani at fianibri@msu.edu or (586) 457-5503.