PHSSN Brings DKMS to HSU’s Campus for a Be the Match Event
(Abilene, TX)–Last week, Delete Blood Cancer (DKMS) partnered with the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing to host a Be the Match event. The event took place at three locations, including Hardin-Simmons University, McMurry University, and Hendrick Medical Center.
On campus, over 300 new donors registered with DKMS over the course two-day event. Laura Wade, nursing instructor and interim undergraduate nursing program coordinator at Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing, states that “nursing students all over the nation can help DKMS save the lives of patients in need of a bone marrow transplant and earn grant money for their School of Nursing. Earl Young, a gold medalist in the 1960 Olympics, found himself on the receiving end of teamwork when a stranger in Germany made the selfless decision to donate her bone marrow. This led to the creation of Earl Young’s Team, an organization that aims to defeat blood cancer through donor awareness. Earl Young’s Team is offering the Schools of Nursing, that are members of the Texas Nursing Student Association, a chance to receive Grants by hosting campus wide Bone Marrow Drives and documenting the planning efforts on a Grant Application.”
Laura Wade and her son Hudson.
The event was especially significant to Wade, who lost her son to Leukemia in February of 2016. “Imagine how it would feel to have your life saved,” says Wade. “I remember feeling that way when we were told our 11-year-old son, Hudson, would more than likely need a bone marrow transplant to treat his leukemia. Sadly, there are far more people who need to receive bone marrow than there are potential donors. DKMS (Delete Blood Cancer) aims to change that script by letting people know that they are needed as Bone Marrow Donors and by explaining how quickly and easily it is to join the National Registry.”
According to DKMS, someone in America is diagnosed with blood cancer every three minutes, and nearly one-third of all patients have a compatible bone marrow donor within their family. Over two-thirds of those fighting blood cancer rely on strangers and friends to donate bone marrow and give the patient a second chance at life. DKMS currently has over 8 million registered donors, worldwide, and have aided in 74,583 bone marrow donations in 54 countries. DKMS donors can donate in two ways; bone marrow donation and stem cell donation. These two methods can provide lifesaving treatments to patients with over 70 illnesses of the blood.
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