Four local religious dignitaries representing the Catholic and Lutheran Churches will perform a special blessing ceremony at a marrow donor registration and blood drive on Saturday, May 10, 2008. Archbishop Timothy Dolan and Brother Bob Smith will represent the Catholic community and Rev. Dr. Martin Bangert (English District) and Dr. Michael Besch (Concordia University) will represent the Missouri Synod’s Lutheran community.
The groups have decided to join forces to help educate the community about the need for bone marrow and blood donors. They are encouraging members of all faiths to attend the drive and help support patients in need. Bangert, vice president of the LCMS English District, has cancer and will share his personal story. The blessing will take place at 10 a.m. at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1127 S. 35th Street in Milwaukee. The event is sponsored by Concordia University—South Campus.
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The marrow donor registration drive will take place in the church’s cafeteria from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information on the marrow donor registry and how to join please call (866) 702-HOPE. BloodCenter of Wisconsin is the state of Wisconsin’s local connection to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) which helps connect volunteer donors around the country with patients who need transplants.
Joining the National Marrow Registry is simple. Basic requirements for registering to be a potential donor include being between the ages of 18 and 60, in generally good health and willing to be available if ever identified as a match for a patient in need. Once a health history form is completed, a mouth swab test is given. The swabs are tested to determine tissue type and individuals are only contacted if identified as a match.
Every year, more than 35,000 children and adults in the United States are diagnosed with life-threatening blood diseases. For many of them, receiving healthy marrow and blood cell transplants is their only chance for survival. It takes just one donor to help save the life of a patient needing a marrow or blood cell transplant. Because tissue traits are inherited, a patient is most likely to match is someone of the same racial or ethnic group.
BloodCenter of Wisconsin’s mobile bus will be taking blood donations from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donors can make an appointment by calling (877) BE-A-HERO or by contacting Lenard Wells, director, at (414) 647-2523; walk-ins are also welcome.
BloodCenter of Wisconsin is a private, non-profit organization widely acclaimed as one of the top transfusion medicine organizations in the world and a leader in diagnostic testing of blood, blood research and blood collection. BloodCenter of Wisconsin is the only provider of blood to hospitals in 28 Wisconsin counties including all community hospitals. BloodCenter of Wisconsin advances patient care by delivering life-saving solutions grounded in unparalleled medical and scientific expertise.