Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1455123
Spring 2022 – LOCAL695.ORG 27 Myelodysplastic Syndrome is a com- plicated illness to treat, as it works by targeting the sponge-like marrow deposits in the bones where blood cells are produced, thereby affecting the development of new blood within the body. Newly produced blood cells are unable to mature into healthy cells, entering the body at reduced efficien- cy and effectively poisoning the body over time as contaminated marrow continues to produce more corrupted blood. If untreated, the condition can develop into acute myeloid leukemia. Treatment options range from lifestyle changes to drug regiments to radiation treatment. Steve has been undergo- ing routine chemotherapy injections three times a day for a week out of each month, which have helped to keep his condition stable. However, what Steve truly needs is a bone marrow trans- plant. This is a process by which healthy stem cells are extracted from the marrow of a donor and used to replace the con- taminated cells of the recipient. The patient is required to undergo radia- tion treatments in order to weaken the immune system to the point where the body will not reject the donor mar- row as a foreign substance, requiring a period of isolation within the hospi- tal and several more months of near isolation at home while the immune system recovers. During this time, the patient becomes highly susceptible to even the most common of infections. It is a difficult process that impacts every aspect of life. However, it is also the only surefire cure for a case of Myelodysplastic Syndrome such as Steve's. However, bone marrow transplants are difficult to facilitate. Unlike other organ transplants where blood type is the primary factor in compatibility, marrow transfers require a close genetic match to achieve. A close blood relation is typically con- sidered the best candidate, though even this is no guarantee as only thirty percent of transplants worldwide utilize a close blood relation as the donor. According to the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration, approximately eigh- teen thousand patients are diagnosed with life- threatening illnesses where a bone marrow trans- plant represents their best chance of recovery. Unfortunately, according to data from the same agency, only around two thousand transplants are performed in the U.S. each year. For his part, Steve does not have any close family that meets the strict age requirements and so another donor must be found. This is where we can help. U.S. and international donor registries are in desperate need of more volunteer donors. If you are between the ages of 18 and 49, you can go to www.bethematch.org and www.dkms.org and sign up to become a marrow donor. Testing is as