Thursday, September 11, 2008

Free Bone Marrow Registration

It appears that the NMDP is not making this easy...I contacted them to inform them of the difficulties and to ask if they could make it easier. For now, follow the directions below, and, hopefully, you'll be able to register for free.

Go to www.marrow.org
On the right side of the screen, under "Events" click on the link that says "NASCAR Foundation Drive"
About 3/4 of the way down that page, click "Join online now"
Fill in the online info and the Promo Code will automatically generate

Beyond organ and tissue donation, another huge need is bone marrow donors. Fortunately, you don't have to be dead to donate bone marrow, but you do need to be registered and tested. Over 6000 people are currently searching for a bone marrow match.

Through September 22, the National Marrow Donor Program is waving the normal fees for registration (usually about $50).

Because we have a family member who may need a bone marrow donor at some point, this is something that we are very passionate about. Please, consider Registering Today!

Thanks!

Nate

34 comments:

Carol said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Our beautiful mess... said...

Thanks for this! I'll be checking it out but I'm not sure they'll let me do it while I'm pregnant.

LG said...

I was very excited when I started reading about the donor registry. It was right up my alley! I am an ardent & vocal supporter of organ donation and I donate blood usually on the first day I'm eligible. I figure that although I'm not in a position to donate much money to many causes, organs/blood/etc are more valuable than cash to those who need them! Anyways, in June of 1992 (I was 14 at the time) I had 2 Harrington rods attached to my spine for scolisis. I was CRUSHED when I saw that that caused me to be ineligible. I am SO sorry I can't participate, but I'm sure that with the following your blog has, you will get several people on the donor list that wouldn't have otherwise known about it! Keep up the good work and your family continues to be in my prayers!

megasam said...

I have been on the registry since May. I did it in memory of my cousin that had a bone marrow transplant, but later passed away. It is so important.

Knick Knack Paddy Whack, Throw This Mom a Bone said...

Already on the list (just for a couple of mos now)!

This is a great thing everyone can do to help out another person.

Thanks for posting!

Heidi said...

Hubby signed up after you posted this the first time. He recently got his registration card! I'm a post-tx cf'er so I can't...but I also go my dad to register!

Sonia said...

This is wonderful! Thank you for showing people this is available. My 2yr niece recieved a bone marrow transplant for her leukemia back in Aug. Thank you!

Piper said...

can pre-tx cfers donate? i couldn't find anything specific about that.

great post - as always your blog is awesome at speading awareness!

Darcy said...

I joined back in May when they had the fee waiver for Mother's Day. It was really easy.
I just posted this on my blog too.
http://ittybittyblog.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/bone-marrow-registry/
darcy

Nicki said...

I got to the payment screen, and it looks like there should be a promo code to waive the payment.

Any ideas on that?

Thanks!

Nicki

Emily said...

I think another thing to note is that there are NO NEEDLES involved to get on the registry; you can just swab your cheek.

Katrina said...

I registered a few months ago when they did their free registration month. =)

Unknown said...

It shows that I need to put in credit card information to pay for the test kit. Do you have some sort of promo code or anything I can put in?

Kim said...

Nate,

The link is still taking me to the original page.

Would you mind e-mailing me the url? I really want to join!

rainydaydiamonds (at) gmail (dot) com

Gina said...

Thank you so much for posting this information. My sister was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2004, went into remission, and was diagnosed a second time in 2006. This 2nd time, after the chemo treatments, she underwent a bone marrow transplant. Thank God for this registry because both my brother and I were not matches for her. We so wanted to be the one to donate to her. She had several 'close' matches but one was almost a perfect match to her! She is now in remission and has been for a year. She is getting stronger each day and we are so grateful to the wonderful person who donated to her. Without this registry, well, I just don't want to think about what would have happened. So, please take this opportunity to register - you could be someone's angel that saves their life. Thank you for listening. Tricia, please know we are praying for you and that you find comfort from your back pain. God's blessings to you Nate, Tricia and Sweet Baby Gwyneth.

Sarah said...

Hey Nate! I just registered and when I got to the payment screen, there was still a charge, so I called the registry number, and they gave me a promo code. I know some other people have had problems, so I'm going to post the code here: NASC262101. I'm not sure if it was a one time code or a general code, but your readers can try it. If it doesn't work, have them call 1-800-627-7692 and ask for one. Thanks!!

Jenn said...

I thought I would post the update I just put on my blogs here, since so many are having problems getting registered. Hope this helps.



Update:
It looks like you can't follow a link directly to the sponsored page. I called NMDR, and Sherry told me we have to follow a certain path for it to be free because of their security issues to avoid hacking.

First go to www.marrow.org

On the right side of the screen, under the cord blood box is a box that says "Events" Click on the link that says "Nascar Foundation Drive." About 3/4 of the way down that page, you will click on "join online now." Then finish filling in the paperwork and the Promo Code will automatically generate. I know it is a couple of extra clicks, but please don't let that deter you from joining!!

Alison said...

You may also want to mention cord blood donation. My mom is a cord blood bank recruiter, she works with pregnant moms, their doctors and hospitals to donate newborn babies cord blood which like bone marrow can be used to fight many diseases. The stem cells are not just research tools they are viable little medical miracles.
Here is a website that tells more about it.
http://www.slcbb.org/

As always, thanks for the wonderful information you provide.

Unknown said...

This is a great idea!

Still having a problem signing up...on the first page it says "your tissue typing costs have been generously covered by a sponsor" but on the last page it insists I give a CC number. Hm.

What am I doing wrong?

Renee said...

My Mom was on the list for 10 years. She just recently received a letter informing her they found a perfect match for her...but she just had a knee replacement surgery and due to extensive bone arthritis, they had to remove her from the list. She was devastated to not be able to help. I am going to sign up now...not just because of the man she cannot help, but because of one the thousands that I might be able to help. Thanks for posting this!

Melinda said...

Nate, I am so proud to tell you that today I was giving blood at a local drive and the woman was talking to me about platlete donation. I told her I had never done it and she encouraged me to sign up for it and to also sign up to be listed on the bone marrow donor list. I walked over to the next station, filled out some papers, had 4 mouth swabs and was on my way. The woman explained the rare possibility that anyone is ever a match butI told her as a mother and a wife, and a daughter I would want someone willing to help my family so to count me in. Thanks for the encouragement! My first time posting and I love coming here! The pictures you post are always so heart warming!

Pamela @ Frugal Vet Tech said...

Thanks for the reminder! I went and signed up tonight. It's a pretty easy process - there are a fair number of questions to answer but nothing difficult. If you have a few minutes, I encourage you to go sign up.

I signed up via the NASCAR link and when I got to the payment page it showed my total as zero. There was a spot for a promotion code and since I had clicked the NASCAR link it had the promo code already filled in for me. Since it was zero, I didn't enter my credit card info, nor did it require me to.

jessica said...

Thanks Nate for telling us about the fee being waived this month. I have been wanting to sign up but right now we couldn't afford the fee for both my husband and I.

But we just registered and will be awaiting our kits!!!

Lifes.So.Sweet said...

In Canada, register at Canadian Blood Services.

I am waiting for my kit!!!

brooke said...

hi -
i rarely post comments here - but i wanted to say thanks for putting this up. i've been wanting to get on the registry for a long time, but being a poor activist, and now a poor phd student, it just didn't fit the budget. here's a chance where it does. :)

DawnD said...

Nate,
Thank you for doing some leg work on this. I registered! And I'll admit that I probably wouldn't have if it wasn't free.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be aware of how we can be involved!

Deb Lieber said...

I registered yesterday through a local drive (in WI) that I found on www.marrow.org and I didn't have to pay anything. They didn't even mention payment. Yay!

Thanks for giving us the details (and the motivation). It's always been on my mind to donate, but I wasn't really motivated to do it until I knew how/where to do it and until I was able to personalize it. God Bless!!

Jennifer said...

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! I have signed up to be on the registry, and it's important to my family. My 6 year old nephew was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006 and relapsed this summer. He's undergoing chemo now and will have a bone marrow transplant later this fall. Because he doesns't have a sibling match, the bone marrow registry will help save his life.

Michelle said...

I have been reading your blog on a regular basis but this is my first time commenting. I feel so amazed and inspired by your story. Your family serves as such a wonderful example to so many people. Your additude and faith is so admirable. Thank you for your post on being a bone marrow donor. My mom had a bone marrow transplant and because of it, she was able to watch me graduate and see me off to college. This was all because someone joined the registery. I will continue to keep your family in my prayers. Your hard work is paying off in big ways, keep up the good work!

Kerry said...

Nate thanks so much for bringing Awareness to this. It's so important.
I am working on doing some things as well on this. Locally.

Can also find us here...
http://sisters4acure.blogspot.com/

Jess said...

I am registered finally :). Just have to wait a week to get my kit!

Jaime T. said...

I am not medically eligable to donate, but my husband signed up last night! :)

We have a friend who is with us today becuase of a bone marrow transplant about eight years ago, and a friend of a friend is currently awaiting a match. Registering is such an easy, selfless way to help.

Nicki said...

Just returned my swab kit... Mailing that envelope was the most fun I've had in a while at the post office.

Thanks for the opportunity to help. :)

Nicki

Cynthia Jill Photography said...

Hi Nate,

I just recently came across your blog and am now addicted :)

Your daughter and family will be in my prayers.

I wanted to say THANK YOU for encouraging people to donate marrow. There are so many fears and myths about it and, quite frankly, not enough donors.

I've done a few marrow and blood drives (currently planning a few more) for a friend's daughter diagnosed with a very rare form of Leukemia. I've had some issues with some people at the NMDP but was lucky enough to have been introduced to a women higher up in the organization that also knew my friends family and she was incredibly helpful. Don't give up hope on them ;)

~Cindy

PS- Oh, the NMDP also waves the fee,necessary for testing, for two to three weeks in May for their "Thanks Mom" Campaign. Unfortunately, but understandably, its usually way easier to get people to sign up when there is no registration fee, as I'm sure you know.