Register!

This really should have been posted a few days ago, but I didn't think of it until today. I registered to be a bone marrow donor in 2003 or 4, and early in 2006 I got a call that I was a match for someone. After months of tests and blood work, I began the actual donation process in July. Registration usually costs $100, the cost of the tissue typing. I got in on a free drive at OSU, never thinking I would actually match with someone.
In February Nordstrom sponsored free tissue typing for those who wanted to register. It's the first time I've seen a free registration since I signed up, so we got Aaron signed up too. We went to www.marrow.org and answered lots of questions and had them mail out a free kit (for February only).
It came after just a few days, and was much easier than what I did when I registered.


Aaron took 4 cheek swabs to collect skin cells for tissue typing. I had my finger pricked and squeezed and squeezed. And squeezed.


We drop it in the mail and he is on the registry!
Aaron is holding up the peripheral blood stem cells that I donated a few years ago. This was the first year Aaron and I started dating. He was super supportive through the whole process, as you can see it was a bit tiring for a few days.


If I see another free tissue typing drive I will post right away. If you can afford the $100 to register, please do. The chance to give the gift of life is priceless. One way to follow along is to "like" Be the Match on Facebook.