CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi is hosting their first ever 'World Marrow Donor Day'. It's a chance for people in the community to potentially save someone’s life.
Hearing the word 'cancer' can be scary, but for many who are diagnosed with certain types of blood cancer, hope can be found through a stranger’s bone marrow donation.
“Seventy percent of those patients need to find a marrow match outside of their family,” said Leticia Mondragon, community representative with Gen-care. “When they reach out to us its basically their last chance for hope, their last chance for survival.”
This weekend Corpus Christi is hosting their first ever World Marrow Donor Day. Everyone is invited to become a part of the national marrow registry. Mondragon says all it takes to get started is a cheek swab.
Your lab results are then tested for a possible match.
“It has nothing to do with blood type it’s all ethnic background,” said Mondragon.
In the last 30 years, 86,000 transplants have been thanks to donors who have stepped up.
“Two little girls’ lives have been saved here in the Coastal Bend in the past 2 years because of two individuals that were not from Corpus Christi,” said Mondragon. “But they signed up on our registry and they ended up being that perfect match for someone.”
Mondragon says for those who are hesitant to help, a marrow donation can be simple and even pain-free.
“They automatically think it’s going to be an outpatient surgical procedure or a very hurtful and dangerous procedure but actually 80 percent of all donations if you are the perfect match for someone is a stem cell donation very similar to a platelet’s plasma or double red donation it’s that simple,” said Mondragon.
It's a simple donation done here in South Texas that can touch a life, thousands of miles away.
“You can potentially be someone’s cure for cancer not only here in Corpus Christi but also on a worldwide level,” said Mondragon.
Gen-cure says they are looking for people of all ethnic background to become marrow donors, but the registry is especially in need of Hispanic participants.
The event will be hosted:
Saturday, Sept. 21
10 A.M – 3 P.M
Corpus Christi Athletic Club
2101 Airline Road, Corpus Christi, TX 78414