Canadian Blood Services is hoping more donors, especially young men from diverse communities, will step forward to donate stem cells for Mother's Day.
The non-profit organization is hosting a special event called "Thanks Mom Multi Ethnic Stem Cell Drive" on Saturday, May 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby.
There will be a number of tables set up in the mall's atrium (close to HomeSense), where people can sign up for the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network.
Stem cell donation differs from giving blood or donating organs, but it can be just as instrumental in saving a life.
"It's a lot more complicated than blood donation," said Olga Pazukha from Canadian Blood Services. "Stem cells are only donated when patients are looking for a match."
On May 12, potential donors can learn more about the program and have a cheek swab done. Their DNA profiles are kept in a database, and if someone needs a stem cell donation, the database is searched for a genetic match.
"If it's determined that they are a match, they are contacted again and asked if they are OK to go ahead with the donation," Pazukha explained. "When you are needed, then you are called upon. - You can donate to a patient in Canada or anywhere in the world."
Stem cells are immature cells that can develop into red and white blood cells, platelets or other blood components. They can be found circulating in blood or bone marrow and are often used to treat patients with potentially fatal blood diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma or sickle cell anemia.
To donate stem cells, you can either give bone marrow from the hip through a minor operation or blood, in which case you get your blood back once the stem cells are extracted. The stem cells are then transplanted into to patient.
"The donor stem cells take over and return the function to normal," Pazukha said. "It's basically the only way, for many patients, to save their lives."
Pazukha said the need for young male donors from diverse ethnic backgrounds is paramount. Research shows that their stem cells have the best effect on patients.
Canadian Blood Services is putting a Mother's Day twist on the Saturday event. Potential donors receive a Mother's Day card, thanking moms for the gift of life.
"What the potential donors are doing at the event is giving the gift of life again," Pazukha said. "There can't be a bigger or better gift that keeps on giving."
If you can't make the event, Canadian Blood Services can send out a swab kit in the mail.
For more information, go to www. onematch.ca or check out their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/onematch.
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