Be The Match Registry

Just got an email let­ting me know that I’m offi­cially part of the Be The Match Reg­istry (for­mally known as the National Mar­row Donor Pro­gram).

I signed up a few weeks back when there was an offer to waive the nor­mal reg­is­tra­tion costs (the offer may still be valid). After a week or so of wait­ing, a test kit arrived con­tain­ing 3 swab sticks. I rubbed them in my mouth as instructed, attached the included bio-hazard label, and dropped it in the mail. A few days later I received an email let­ting me know that they received my swabs.

Then noth­ing for a few weeks.

Finally, today I received an email let­ting me know that I’m offi­cially in the reg­istry and am eli­gi­ble to donate if called upon.

My wife was is a lit­tle con­cerned. How­ever, the web­site has a myths about donat­ing sec­tion that clears up some of the mis­con­cep­tions that many peo­ple (includ­ing myself) have about donat­ing bone marrow.

For exam­ple, the actual pro­ce­dure is pain­less due to anes­thet­ics. No bone is removed, just the mar­row. Full recov­ery from donat­ing is about 3 weeks, but the worst expe­ri­enced by most dona­tors is over after a day or two. The pro­ce­dure is com­pletely free for the per­son donat­ing (except for the time commitment).

Any­ways, I’m pretty com­fort­able with the sit­u­a­tion and I’m not forced to donate even if I am found to be a match, so my wife and I can cross that bridge when and if we ever come to it.