The Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Program at Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children's Hospital will host the National Marrow Donor Program's Be the Match: Marrowthon Donor Recruitment Campaign May 3 -5 at three Valley locations. This is a chance for members of the community and employees to help give the gift of life by joining the Be the Match Registry.
The drive will take place at three locations from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3 at Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E. Thomas Road; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 4 at Mayo Clinic, 13400 E. Shea Blvd. in Scottsdale, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 5 at Mayo Clinic Hospital, 5777 E. Mayo Blvd. in Phoenix.
People ages 18 to 60 in good health are encouraged to attend the drive and fill out a short questionnaire. Then a small swab of cheek cells is taken with a cotton swab to determine the tissue type to be matched against patients who need a donor. This information is then added to the Be The Match registry. No extraction of blood or marrow takes place at the event - just the screening and the swabbing. The test results are then added to the registry.
For more information about the Marrow Donor Recruitment Campaign, call (480) 342-0564 at Mayo Clinic, or (602) 546-0824 at Phoenix Children's Hospital, or visit www.phoenixchildrens.com.
