CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Emery Ramos, a six-year-old from Kingsville, is battling leukemia for the second time and is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Her family and NMDP (formerly known as "Be The Match") are searching for a compatible donor.
Emery, who her family describes as girly and sassy, loves dolls, makeup, and painting—pink and purple are her favorite colors.
When asked about her favorite princess, Emery didn't hesitate.
"Rapunzel," she said.
When asked why, she responded simply, "Cause... her long hair."
Earlier this month, during what was supposed to be a routine check-up after being in remission, doctors discovered Emery's cancer had returned.
Now, Emery and NMDP are looking for someone to be a match for her to receive a bone marrow transplant.
"70% of all patients that have been recently diagnosed with a life-threatening blood cancer blood disorder need to find an unrelated donor," Leticia Mondragon, Account Manager for NMDP, said.
According to NMDP, only 30% of patients have a match within their family. Emery falls into the 70% trying to find a donor outside her family, specifically one of Hispanic descent.
Currently, only 13% of the NMDP registry population identifies as Hispanic.
"The age requirement is 18 to 40, to sign up on the registry, all you have to do is text Hope4Emery…to 61474,” Mondragon said. “You'll fill out a questionnaire, and it's a very quick questionnaire, and then you'll be mailed a cheek swap kit."
Recipients will receive the kit within 7 to 10 days. The process involves swabbing each side of your cheek for 10 seconds and mailing it back. The bio repository is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and will be contacted if you are a match for Emery or any other patient in need.
"It's a very simple process, and I think a lot of people don't know who we are until it hits home, so this is why we're here, to find a match for Emery and all those other patients that are in need," Mondragon said.
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