Many of my friends and family members have joined the national bone marrow registry since all this happened. Some were motivated by the global impact of the gesture, others were hoping to help me in particular; either way the act is noteworthy. I’m going to hop up on the soap box here for a second. If you, or anyone you know hasn’t joined the registry, think about it—by simply swabbing your cheek you are potentially saving saving someone’s life. The single choice of just one can fully restore another. Powerful, powerful stuff. I’ll get down now.

In the comment section of another post on HLA registry, a reader expressed concern regarding the kit they had mailed and whether or not it had been received. I took the liberty to forward the following question to Lynn Treadwell, Supervisor of Interactive Development at Be the Match, a National Marrow Donor Program:


Q:Many join the HLA registry after someone they know is diagnosed with a disease that may require Bone Marrow Transplant. Because of the personal connection, they are uber-concerned that everything was completed correctly, and that their kit has arrived at its proper destination. Is their any way for a someone who mails a kit to track the kit’s progress, maybe an e-mail or phone verification, and be assured the sample sent has been received?

Her response:

We currently have been working on a series of e-mails to be distributed throughout the process—given an individual provides an e-mail address—and are close to launching that step in the process.

We are also working toward a secure, customer-focused online registration system that may one day allow a registry member to learn, for example, how many people have joined since they last visited the Web site. We have a big vision for this important function that facilitates donor registration. We are a ways away from that.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post