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An Urgent Appeal from a Wife and Mother

My name is Anupama, I am 29 years old. I had a picture perfect life with a loving husband and a doting 3 ½ year old son. All this came crashing down when I was diagnosed with “ALL”, a fatal “Blood Cancer”. Everything that I held close to my heart is now threatened. I was given chemotherapy and went into remission for (2) years. But unfortunately this year I relapsed, the leukemia is back. Doctors now tell me that my only chance for survival is a marrow/blood stem cell transplant from a matched donor. The best chance I have of finding a match is from the South Asian community. I appeal to every individual between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health to become a volunteer bone marrow donor, so that someone may match me or any other patient that is in a similar dire situation. Initially you have to give a small sample of blood and sign a consent form and if you match you will have an opportunity to donate marrow / blood stem cells to save my life or any other patient needing a marrow / blood stem cell transplant. Please register yourself at donor recruitment drives being organized by SAMAR. You can give me a second chance at life and give a mother back to my son and a wife to my husband.

When and Where

Sri Siva Vishnu Temple: Nov 13th & Nov 20th 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

6905 Cipriano Road, Lanham, MD 20706 , 301-552-3335

Rajadhani Mandir: Nov 13th 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
4525 Pleasant Valley Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151, 703-378-8401, 8402

Durga Mandir: Nov 20th 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
8400 durga place, fairfax station, VA 22039, 703-690-9355

For more information call (718) 592- 0821 or email: samarinfo@aol.com
www.SAMARINFO.org

FAQs

If you are like most people, you will have a few basic questions about what it means to get tested. It’s natural to be unsure and perhaps a bit apprehensive.

What exactly is a marrow / stem cell transplant?
Simply, it is the replacement of diseased marrow with marrow from a healthy donor. It is infused into a patient’s vein just like a blood transfusion. Within 2-3 weeks, the marrow / stem cells begin to produce normal blood cells in the patient.

If I am a match, will the donation process be harmful to me?
Nowadays, most stem cell donation is done by a minimally invasive procedure. It involves an injection that releases the stem cells from your bone marrow into your blood stream. Your blood will then be drawn, the stem cells harvested, and the rest of your blood given back to you. This procedure requires no anesthesia and no hospital stay and is minimally painful.

What is the blood test process to see if I am a match?
To get tested, you will provide a small sample of blood (about a spoonful) at a blood drive, test center, or by your physician. Your blood will then be HLA-typed. This information will then be stored in a national registry. That way, if a match comes up with a patient in need down the road, the registry will be able to contact you.

How do I know if I am a match?
If you are found to be a possible match with Anu or another patient, you will be contacted immediately and give you the option of proceeding to the next level/s of testing to insure final compatibility.

What are the chances of finding a compatible donor?
The chance of matching Anu or any other patient is 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 100,000. It is vital that everyone get tested to increase Anu’s and other patients’ chances of survival. YOU could be that special life-giving person!

Can I be a donor?
Yes, you can be a donor as long as you are in generally good health, between 18-60 years of age, with no history of cancer, diabetes, or certain other conditions (if you are in doubt, please check with us).

What if I can’t make it to this blood drive?
Several blood test drives are scheduled in the upcoming weeks around the country. Visit www.samarinfo.org for locations, dates, and times.

What if I’ve already registered before?
We thank you for your generosity. If you have already registered in the National Marrow Donor program, you do not need to be tested again. Your information is already in the database. However, please make sure your contact information in the registry remains updated in case you are a potential match.