You May Be Able To Help Save A Child's LifeBy NAPS,
North American Precis Syndicate
.New York
,
NY
.<p> You can help save children hoping for lifesaving blood stem cell transplants. (NAPS) </p>NAPS<p>(NAPSI)—Seven-year-old <span class=SpellE>Julián</span>
Morales seems like any other young boy—he loves playing video games,
watching baseball, spending time with his little sister and eating chocolate
ice cream—but there’s a big difference. </p>
<p><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>The Problem<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p>Unlike most children, <span class=SpellE>Julián</span> suffers from
a rare, life-threatening blood disorder. His only hope for a cure is an
unrelated blood stem cell donor.</p>
<p>“It’s very difficult because <span class=SpellE>Julián</span>
can’t do everything like other children his age,” said Mayra
Garcia, <span class=SpellE>Julián’s</span> mother. “We
want to see our son healed. But that may not happen if we cannot find a blood
stem cell match.”</p>
<p><span class=SpellE>Julián’s</span> search for his perfect
donor is more difficult because of his Hispanic ethnicity, which is a blend
of Mexican and Nicaraguan. Even at the largest and most diverse blood stem
cell registry in the world, only 7 percent of the more than 19 million
registry members are Hispanic. As a result, Hispanic patients fighting blood
cancer such as leukemia or blood disorders have only a 46 percent chance of
finding a fully matched blood stem cell donor compared to a 77 percent chance
for those who are white. Because people are more likely to match someone of
their same ethnic background, <span class=SpellE>Julián’s</span>
family is hoping more Hispanics will join the national Be The Match Registry.
</p>
<p>People from diverse backgrounds, particularly Hispanic or mixed
ethnicities, can register to become a potential donor and help save a life.
Those between the ages of 18 and 44 are most urgently needed since they’re
requested by transplant doctors more than 85 percent of the time and research
shows that these donors provide the greatest chance for transplant success. </p>
<p><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>What You Can Do<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p>To be a part of the solution, visit <a
href="https://join.bethematch.org/saveJulian">https://join.bethematch.org/saveJulian</a>
and complete the online registration form. You’ll get a swab kit with
easy-to-follow instructions on how to complete the registration process at
home and return the swab samples in the mail. Becoming a donor is safe, free
and confidential.</p>
<p><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>How It Works<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p>About one in every 430 U.S. Be The Match Registry members go on to donate
to a patient. If someone is identified as a genetic match for a searching
patient, he or she will be asked to donate blood stem cells. Most often,
blood stem cell donation is a <span class=SpellE>nonsurgical</span>,
outpatient procedure similar to donating platelets or plasma.</p>
<p><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Learn More<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p>For further facts about blood stem cell transplants, how they can cure
blood cancers and how you can help others, go to <a
href="http://www.bethematch.org/">www.BeTheMatch.org</a>.</p>
<p><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span style='color:#00CCFF'><a
href="https://ctt.ac/7gG45" target="_blank"><span style='color:#00CCFF;
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v:shapes="_x0000_i1032"></span><![endif]></span></a><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>“<span style='letter-spacing:
-.2pt'>People of Hispanic or mixed ethnicities can register with the national
Be The Match Registry to become potential blood stem cell donors and perhaps
save a life. <a href="http://bit.ly/2xVM5mw"><span style='color:#00CCFF'>http://bit.ly/2xVM5mw</span></a></span>”<br
style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![endif]></span></i></p> <p>On the Net:<a href="http://www.napsnet.com">North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)</a></p>
