parkersburg, W.Va(WTAP) – WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center will host a Be the Match stem cell screening opportunity for community members on November 19, 2022 at Grand Central Mall.
The event is hosted by Boot Barn and Books-A-Million from 11am to 4pm.
On November 18, 2022, WVU Medicine Camden Clark held a unique Be the Match stem cell screening for employees as part of its November employee appreciation campaign.
EMT Katie Drinks signed up for Be the Match in Maryland 10 years ago and got a call about matching someone in July.
“They called me in July and it was a Minnesota number and I didn’t answer because they didn’t recognize the number,” Drinks said. “They emailed me later that day and said I was a good match for someone, so I called them back and told them I was donating.
After a full physical, vein and blood tests, Katie was cleared for bone marrow donation 60 days later. The day before the donation day, Katie received an injection from her bone marrow to stimulate white blood cells in preparation for the donation.
In October, Katie went to Cincinnati to solicit donations. Katie said she was nervous because she was a different person with a different job than 10 years ago. She is grateful to her WVU her medicine her Camden and her Clark and Ritchie County Ambulance Department for allowing her to take time off from work.
Katie said she always wants to give back to the community and will donate again soon.
“Everyone in my family was involved in firefighting when I was younger, so I grew up around that. It was just a job,” Drinks said. I would say my career as a phlebotomist and EMT as you know what I know now about the need for . is to feel good.
Here’s how you can help by attending a screening event or joining the Be the Match registry.
· Individuals must be between the ages of 18 and 40 to participate in the Be the Match Registry.
· It takes 3 minutes to fill out the online registration form and 30 seconds to swab your cheeks.
· Be the Match will test the kit and add it to the registry as a potential donor.
· Only provide stem cells when called as an individual patient match.
· Donations are free. Be the Match will cover all travel, meals, and hotel expenses for the donor and one companion. All medical expenses are covered by the patient’s insurance or Be the Match.
For more information on Be the Match, please visit: bethematch.org
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