2009
Annual Blood & Marrow/Stem Cell Donor Registration Drive
What:
a combination blood and marrow/blood stem cell donor registration drive.
Where:
UGA Baptist
Student Union,
Why:
to increase the number of volunteer donors on the National Marrow Donor
Program (NMDP) Registry.
When:
Wednesday, May
13, 2009, between 2 pm – 8 pm.
Who:
co-hosted by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. (Foundation),
1.
Be informed
about the marrow and peripheral blood stem cell donation processes;
2.
Complete a brief
health questionnaire;
3.
Sign a form
consenting to have your tissue type listed on the NMDP Registry; and
4.
Have a swab of
cheek cells collected for tissue typing.
1.
Be between 18 –
60 years old, and in good general health;
2.
No history of
cancer, diabetes, heart disease or heart attack;
3.
Not be
excessively overweight (very generous guidelines) – call LifeSouth (#5
below);
4.
Not at high risk
for contracting AIDS or the HIV virus;
5.
For more
specific medical guidelines, visit NMDP’s website:
www.marrow.org or call
Important Note:
If you decide to join, you should carefully consider the commitment to
remain on the Registry until age 60.
The NMDP is aware there are circumstances that may cause you to be
unavailable when contacted.
When patients are searching, however, time is essential and knowledge
of unavailability will avoid time wasted trying to contact and gain consent
from unavailable volunteers. If
you have a change of address, a significant change affecting long-term
health, or a change in personal commitment to be a potential donor, you are
requested to please notify your donor center immediately.
This drive is held in
memory of Shannon Mosher, pictured above, who lost her 15-month battle with
leukemia, after a bone marrow transplant, at age 28 on May 20, 2000.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
To reserve a time slot to give blood and get on the NMDP Registry at this
drive, please contact Rhonda Sorrow at the UGA Baptist Student Union by calling 706-549-2747
ext 201.
O
-
Bring a
driver’s license or other acceptable picture ID to the drive.
-
Eat
something within 3 hours of your scheduled time slot.
-
Provide the
names, addresses, and phone numbers of 2 adult contacts
Results from the 2008 Annual Drive on May 14, 2008:
We're pleased to report that 32 new volunteer donors were added to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry, as a result of the 8th annual bone marrow/blood stem cell donor registration drive held in Shannon's memory described below. While we had hoped for an even larger turnout, we actually registered more donors at this drive than at any of the past seven annual drives we’ve had in Shannon’s memory, except for the first one in 2001 that we had at her church, Perimeter Church in Duluth, GA!
Notice concerning the 8th annual bone marrow/blood stem cell donor registration drive in Shannon's memory:
What:
a combination blood and marrow/blood stem cell donor registration drive.
Where:
Why:
to add donors on the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry.
When:
Wednesday, May
14, 2008, between 2 pm – 8 pm
(LOCATION: Modular B).
Who:
co-hosted by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. (Foundation),
What To Do:
Take the first step to join the NMDP Registry by giving a unit of blood,
and:
1.
Be informed
about the marrow and peripheral blood stem cell donation processes;
2.
Complete a brief
health questionnaire;
3.
Sign a form
consenting to have your tissue type listed on the NMDP Registry; and
4. Have a swab of cheek cells collected for tissue typing (the typical $52 lab processing fee to get the results and place them on the NMDP Registry has been waived, and is being covered through grants provided by the NMDP).
Basic Donor
Criteria:
1.
Be between 18 –
60 years old, and in good general health;
2.
No history of
cancer, diabetes, heart disease or heart attack;
3.
Not be
excessively overweight (very generous guidelines) – call LifeSouth (#5
below);
4.
Not at high risk
for contracting AIDS or the HIV virus;
5.
For more
specific medical guidelines, visit NMDP’s website:
www.marrow.org or call
Important Note:
If you decide to join, you should carefully consider the commitment to
remain on the Registry until age 60.
The NMDP is aware there are circumstances that may cause you to be
unavailable when contacted.
When patients are searching, however, time is essential and knowledge
of unavailability will avoid time wasted trying to contact and gain consent
from unavailable volunteers. If
you have a change of address, a significant change affecting long-term
health, or a change in personal commitment to be a potential donor, you are
requested to please notify your donor center immediately.
Special recognitions related to this
marrow/blood stem cell donor registration drive:
-
In support
of Hebron Staff Member, Carol Holmes, whose brother is in need of a
marrow/stem cell transplant.
-
In support
of Dacula resident, Deborah Brinkley, who has CLL Leukemia.
-
In honor of
11 year-old
- In memory of Shannon Mosher, who lost her 15-month battle with leukemia, after a bone marrow transplant, at age 28 on May 20, 2000.
The goal of this drive is to register 60 new volunteer donors to the NMDP Registry, after each participant also gives a normal unit of blood. To reserve a time slot to give blood and get on the NMDP Registry at this drive, talk with Denise Kitchen at Hebron Baptist Church at 770-277-6030. For additional information, please contact Stuart Mosher at 678-377-7036 or by email at: stuartmosher@aol.com.
Why should I get on the National Marrow Donor Program Registry? The below reflections that were written just prior to the first annual bone marrow drive in Shannon's memory gives one perspective:
Reflections from
Stuart Mosher – 4/16/01 (updated in places on 4/2/08)
The words ‘leukemia’ and ‘bone marrow transplant’ became personal to us with
Shannon's diagnosis in 2/99 and subsequent relapse in 11/99…followed by her
bone marrow transplant on 3/18/00 and, sadly, her death on 5/20/00 at age
28. The need for more bone marrow donors on the national registry was
nothing we had ever heard about before 1999. But for my wife, Teresa, and
me, addressing that need has now become a passion of ours, a ministry in
serving others, and a key focus of our lives.
Contrasted with being an
organ donor by checking a box on your driver’s license, becoming a bone
marrow or stem cell donor takes a little more ‘real time’ commitment --
taking the time to donate blood and then have a small additional vial of
blood drawn for tissue typing (update: a swab of the cheek cells
is now collected instead of a vial of blood) to get on the national
registry; and then waiting and responding to a future call if you are a
match for someone and could save their life. There are no further medical
costs to you as the donor, and the actual procedure is a relatively minor
one.
The person in need will
be someone’s daughter (like Shannon), a son, husband, wife, mother or
father, sister or brother, perhaps related to a member of your church or
synagogue. While the person
could be a relative or friend of yours, most likely he or she would be a
stranger. But what a blessed opportunity to be able to respond as Jesus
instructed in the parable of the Good Samaritan, who stopped to help the
Jewish man who was left on the road half dead: “Go and do likewise.” I don’t
imagine many in the Christian or Jewish community would knowingly not step
forward to save a person’s life by donating a little bone marrow. However,
while you may be a perfect match for someone right now, someone who won’t
live through the end of this year without receiving a transplant, you won’t
have the opportunity to make that decision if you’re not on the national
registry and available when the various transplant centers around the world
are searching to find a match for a patient.
With over 4 million
volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors on the National Marrow Program
Registry (NMDP) in 2000 (now about 7 million), there was still not a
perfect 6 out of 6 antigen match for Shannon, which could have increased her
chances significantly. While we were very grateful for the donor (5 out of 6
match from
The fact is that each
year more than 30,000 people are diagnosed with diseases that can be cured
by a marrow or blood stem cell transplant, but 70% of them will need an
unrelated donor for their transplant – and on any given day, more than 3,000
(now 6,000) patients are searching the NMDP Registry for a matched
unrelated donor. Also, hundreds of thousands of new volunteer bone marrow
donors are needed each year just to replace that number of donors who are
removed from the registries due to death, age, medical, or other reasons.
A major focus of our
Foundation is to increase these numbers significantly. As our Foundation
theme SALT & LIGHT suggests, as a bone marrow donor, you have the
opportunity to perhaps Save A Life Tomorrow…and let a potential recipient
Live In Great Hope Today. For more information about becoming a bone marrow
donor visit the National Marrow Donor Program website:
www.marrow.org.
For more information about
Please take the first
step to perhaps saving a life through a bone marrow or blood stem cell
donation by getting tested and registered.
In His love,
Stuart Mosher
stuartmosher@aol.com
May 21, 2007
After relocating back to the Atlanta, GA area last November, having lived in Ocala, FL the previous 5 years, we held the 7th annual bone marrow/blood cell drive in Shannon's memory at the LifeSouth Northeast Georgia Donor Center in Gainesville, GA. At this drive, 12 new bone marrow/blood stem cell donors were added to the NMDP Registry.
May 13, 2006
At this 6th annual donor drive held in Shannon's memory, 16 new bone marrow/blood stem cell donors were added to the NMDP Registry. The drive was held at the LifeSouth Blood Center on Silver Springs Blvd in Ocala, FL.
May 27, 2005
We were blessed to have added 14 new bone marrow/blood stem cell donors to the NMDP Registry as a result of this 5th annual donor drive held in Shannon's memory.
April 12, 2005
Shannon Mosher fought the horrendous effects of leukemia for 15 months.
Sadly, she died May 20, 2000 at the age of 28, about 2 months after receiving a
bone marrow transplant from a donor in Wales. It was very encouraging to Shannon and her
family that a stranger from a foreign country, who was selected as the best tissue-type
match for her, would provide at least the hope for an extended life. Had Shannon survived, it was her desire to return
home and do whatever she could to assist other leukemia patients. Through this Foundation
established in Shannon’s memory, one way her family is fulfilling that desire is by
helping to recruit more potential bone marrow donors. The 4th annual drive in Ocala to add
potential donors to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry is described below:
What: a combination
blood and marrow/blood stem cell donor drive.
Where: Paddock
Mall in Ocala, FL (common area in front of the Belk Department Store).
Why: to add donors
on the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry.
When: Friday, May
27, 2005 between 4 pm – 8 pm, and Saturday, May 28, 2005 between 10 am - 2 pm.
Who: co-hosted
by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. (Foundation), LifeSouth Community Blood Centers and the NMDP.
What To Do: Take the first step to join the NMDP
Registry by giving a unit of blood, and:
1. Be informed about the marrow and
peripheral blood stem cell donation processes;
2. Complete a brief health questionnaire;
3. Sign a form consenting to have your
tissue type listed on the NMDP Registry; and
4. Provide an additional small blood
sample to be tested to determine your tissue type.
Basic Donor Criteria:
1. Be between 18 – 60 years old, and in good general health;
2. No history of cancer, diabetes, heart
disease or heart attack;
3. Not be excessively overweight – call LifeSouth (#5 below) with any questions;
4. Not at high risk for contracting AIDS
or the HIV virus;
5. For more specific medical guidelines,
visit NMDP’s website: www.marrow.org or call
LifeSouth’s Jennifer Jandersits in Ocala at 622-3544.
Important Note: If you decide to
join, you should carefully consider the commitment to remain on the Registry until age 61. The NMDP is aware there are circumstances that may
cause you to be unavailable when contacted. When
patients are searching, however, time is essential and knowledge of unavailability will
avoid time wasted trying to contact and gain consent from unavailable volunteers. If you have a change of address, a significant
change affecting long-term health, or a change in personal commitment to be a potential
donor, you are requested to please notify your donor center immediately.
The Facts: The American Cancer Society projected that 30,600 people in the United States would be diagnosed with leukemia and 21,900 leukemia patients would die during 2003. Over 3,000 patients on any give day are searching the bone marrow registries for a suitable donor. You may be the perfect match for a patient who won’t live to this Christmas without the gift of a bone marrow transplant.
Contributions: Contributions will be graciously
accepted that will enable the Foundation to provide additional funding for subsequent
drives, and to provide limited financial aid grants to leukemia patients for expenses that
are not covered totally by insurance or through other sources. These tax-deductible gifts
may be made via check made payable to The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. and
sent to 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA 30011; the phone number is
678-377-7036, and the
email address is: stuartmosher@aol.com.
THE SHANNON MOSHER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, INC. (REG.# CH13950) RECEIVES 100% OF EACH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION (THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONAL SOLICITORS OR FUNDRAISERS CONTRACTED BY THE FOUNDATION WHO RETAIN ANY PERCENTAGE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED). A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
May 16, 2004
Shannon
Mosher fought the horrendous effects of leukemia for 15 months. Sadly, she died May 20,
2000 at the age of 28, about 2 months after receiving a bone marrow transplant from a
donor in Wales. It was very encouraging to Shannon and her family that a stranger from a
foreign country, who was selected as the best tissue-type match for her, would provide at
least the hope for an extended life. Had
Shannon survived, it was her desire to return home and do whatever she could to assist
other leukemia patients. Through this Foundation established in Shannon’s memory, one
way her family is fulfilling that desire is by helping to recruit more potential bone
marrow donors. The 3rd annual drive in Ocala to add potential donors to the
National Marrow Donor Program Registry is described below:
What: a combination
blood and marrow/blood stem cell donor drive.
Where:
Paddock
Mall in Ocala, FL (common area in front of the Belk Department Store).
Why: to add donors
on the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry.
When: Friday and
Saturday, May 28 & 29, 2004, between 10 am – 9 pm.
Who:
co-hosted
by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. (Foundation), LifeSouth Community Blood Centers and the NMDP.
What To Do: Take the first step to join the NMDP
Registry by giving a unit of blood, and:
1. Be informed about the marrow and
peripheral blood stem cell donation processes;
2. Complete a brief health questionnaire;
3. Sign a form consenting to have your
tissue type listed on the NMDP Registry; and
4. Provide an additional small blood
sample to be tested to determine your tissue type.
Basic Donor Criteria:
1. Be between 18 – 60 years old, and in good general health;
2. No history of cancer, diabetes, heart
disease or heart attack;
3. Not be excessively overweight –
call LifeSouth (#5 below) with any questions;
4. Not at high risk for contracting AIDS
or the HIV virus;
5. For more specific medical guidelines,
visit NMDP’s website: www.marrow.org or call
LifeSouth’s Jim Hindman in Belleview at 347-1313 or Leyla Law in Ocala at 622-3544.
Important Note: If you decide to
join, you should carefully consider the commitment to remain on the Registry until age 61. The NMDP is aware there are circumstances that may
cause you to be unavailable when contacted. When
patients are searching, however, time is essential and knowledge of unavailability will
avoid time wasted trying to contact and gain consent from unavailable volunteers. If you have a change of address, a significant
change affecting long-term health, or a change in personal commitment to be a potential
donor, you are requested to please notify your donor center immediately.
The Facts: The American Cancer Society projected that 30,600 people in the United States would be diagnosed with leukemia and 21,900 leukemia patients would die during 2003. Over 3,000 patients on any give day are searching the bone marrow registries for a suitable donor. You may be the perfect match for a patient who won’t live to this Christmas without the gift of a bone marrow transplant.
Contributions: Contributions will be graciously
accepted that will enable the Foundation to provide additional funding for subsequent
drives, and to provide limited financial aid grants to leukemia patients for expenses that
are not covered totally by insurance or through other sources. The Foundation’s
address is 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA 30011; the phone number is
678-377-7036; and the email
address is: stuartmosher@aol.com.
THE SHANNON MOSHER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, INC. (REG.# CH13950) RECEIVES 100% OF EACH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION (THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONAL SOLICITORS OR FUNDRAISERS CONTRACTED BY THE FOUNDATION WHO RETAIN ANY PERCENTAGE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED). A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
May 12, 2003
We had another successful combination blood drive and marrow/stem cell donor drive this past weekend, considering it was held on Mother's Day weekend...the only one available for us during May. A total of 6 new donors were added to the NMDP Registry, with others unable to be added due to medical reasons and/or having been to one of the "forbidden" countries too recently. We again received a lot of support from the local community, and special thanks to the folks at the Ocala and Belleview LifeSouth Community Blood Centers who hosted the drive.
Stuart Mosher
Combination Blood & Marrow/Stem Cell Donor Drive: Saturday & Sunday, May 10 & 11, 2003
The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation,
Inc. is co-hosting this drive with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers and the National
Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). This drive is being held at two locations: Ocala’s
LifeSouth Blood Center, 1607 E. Silver Springs Blvd (622-3544), [Saturday: 9 am – 2
pm and Sunday: 10 am – 4 pm]; and at the LifeSouth Blood Bank in the Belleview
Regional Shopping Center (next to the K-Mart), 10353 S. US Hwy 441 (347-1313) [Saturday
only: 9 am – 2 pm].
The
basic requirements are that you give a unit of life-saving blood, and an additional small
sample of blood that will be sent to a lab to determine your unique tissue-type. This may
enable you to be placed on the NMDP Registry, which will assist transplant centers around
the world to quickly identify a prospective donor as a possible match for a patient
waiting on a life-saving transplant.
Each
year over 30,000 people are diagnosed with diseases that can be cured by a marrow or blood
stem cell transplant, yet 70% of them will need a transplant from an unrelated donor. Over
3,000 patients on any given day are searching the bone marrow registries for a match. You may be the
perfect match for a patient who won’t live to this year-end without a transplant. For
further information, please visit the Foundation website at www.shannonmosherfoundation.org;
call Stuart Mosher at 678-377-7036 or email at stuartmosher@aol.com;
or contact one of the LifeSouth Blood Centers.
May 20, 2002
We had a successful combination blood drive and marrow/stem cell donor drive this past weekend considering it was the first one in Ocala since moving here last October. A total of 16 new donors were added to the NMDP Registry, and we received a lot of support from the local community...special thanks go to the folks at the LifeSouth Community Blood Centers who hosted the drive and to the Star-Banner, who ran a special article featuring the Foundation in their paper the week of the drive.
Stuart Mosher
Having moved from Atlanta, GA to Ocala, FL in October, 2001, we are working with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers to host the first of many annual Bone Marrow Drives in the Ocala area in Shannon's Memory. The details of the upcoming drive are recapped below.
Stuart & Teresa
A combination blood drive and marrow and blood stem cell donor drive initiated by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc. (“Foundation”) will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 18 & 19, 2002 at two locations as follows: Both days at the Ocala Civitan LifeSouth Blood Center, 1607 E. Silver Springs Blvd (622-3544), which is across from the Piccadilly Cafeteria [Saturday 9 am – 2 pm and Sunday 10 am – 4 pm]; and Saturday only at the LifeSouth Blood Bank in the Belleview Regional Shopping Center (where the K-Mart is located), 10353 S. US Hwy 441 (347-1313) between 9 am – 2 pm. This is a drive to enable people who are willing to consider donating marrow or blood stem cells to any patient searching the National Marrow Donor Program (“NMDP”) to get their names on the NMDP registry (“Registry”) by taking the first step, which is simply having a unit of life-saving blood drawn. You can visit the Foundation website at: www.shannonmosherfoundation.org.
What To Do: The first step in joining the Registry, along with giving a unit of blood involves:
1. Being informed about marrow and
peripheral blood stem cell donation processes;
2. Completing a brief health
questionnaire;
3. Signing a form consenting to have your
tissue type listed on the Registry; and
4. Providing a small blood sample to determine your tissue type.
Basic Donor Criteria:
1. Be between 18 – 60 years old, and
in good general health;
2. No history of cancer, diabetes, heart
disease or heart attack;
3. Not be excessively overweight –
call LifeSouth (#5 below) with any questions;
4. Not at high risk for contracting AIDS
or the HIV virus;
5. For more specific medical guidelines,
visit NMDP’s website: www.marrow.org or call
LifeSouth’s Jim Hindman in Belleview at 352/347-1313 or Alison Roberts in Ocala at
352/622-3544.
Cost: Community
Matching Funds have been made available that will help to reduce the overall cost of
tissue typing the blood of at least the first 75 Caucasian donors from $73 to $25 each,
and The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation will cover the remaining balance due up to the
first 75 Caucasian donors who are approved to get on the registry during this 2-day drive.
We’re hopeful that additional funding will become available prior to these drives so
that more donors can get on the registry. Also, because of a dire need for donors of all
minority ethnic groups to get on the national registry, another grant has been awarded
that covers the total cost of tissue typing any approved minority donor at both drive
locations.
Important Note: If you decide to
join, you should carefully consider the commitment to remain on the Registry until age 61. The NMDP is aware there are circumstances that may
cause you to be unavailable when contacted. When
patients are searching, however, time is essential and knowledge of unavailability will
avoid time wasted trying to contact and gain consent from unavailable volunteers. If you have a change of address, a significant
change affecting long-term health, or a change in personal commitment to be a potential
donor, you are requested to please notify your donor center immediately.
Contributions: Contributions will be graciously accepted at both locations that will enable the Foundation to provide additional funding for subsequent drives, and to provide limited financial aid grants to leukemia patients for expenses that are not covered totally by insurance or through other sources.
Thank you for your generous support
of the Foundation. The Foundation’s address is 3589 Rock Elm Court,
Auburn, GA 30011 and the phone number is 678-377-7036. Please
direct any emails to: stuartmosher@aol.com.
THE SHANNON MOSHER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, INC. (REG. # CH 13950) RECEIVES 100% OF EACH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION (THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONAL SOLICITORS OR FUNDRAISERS CONTRACTED BY THE FOUNDATION WHO RETAIN ANY PERCENTAGE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED). A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
Bone Marrow Donor Emphasis - May 12, 2001
The results of the inaugural bone marrow drive in Shannon's memory on May 12, 2001 were somewhat disappointing, but the Foundation will continue to seek ways to increase the number of committed bone marrow donors on the national registries in its effort to help save lives of future transplant patients.
Become a part of the solution!! Get tested and become a registered bone marrow donor volunteer!!
SPECIAL EVENT: SAVE A LIFE - BONE MARROW DRIVE, May 12, 2001. TAKE THE FIRST STEP!! GIVE A SMALL BLOOD SAMPLE. The inaugural annual marrow and blood stem cell donor drive in memory of Shannon is being sponsored by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc., in cooperation with The Marrow Foundation, the American Red Cross/National Marrow Donor Program and Northside Hospital.
This drive will be held Saturday, May 12, 2001 from
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Perimeter Church. This is a drive to recruit a projected total
of 1,200 people who are willing to consider donating marrow or blood stem cells to any
patient searching the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. Participants’ names
will be added to the Registry by taking the first step of having a small sample of blood
drawn.
SPECIAL NOTE TO PERIMETER CHURCH MEMBERS!! IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE PRE-REGISTER FOR THIS MAY 12 BONE MARROW DRIVE BEFORE OR AFTER SERVICES THE WEEKENDS OF APRIL 28-29 AND MAY 5-6 BY VISITING THE MARKETING TABLE IN THE LOBBY OUTSIDE THE SANCTUARY BY THE STAIRS.
What To Do: The first step in joining the Registry involves: 1. Being informed about marrow and peripheral blood stem cell donation processes; 2. Completing a brief health questionnaire; 3. Signing a form consenting to have your tissue type listed on the Registry; and 4. Providing a small blood sample to determine your tissue type.
Basic Donor Criteria: 1. Be between 18 – 60 years old, and
in good general health; 2. No history of most cancers, medicine controlled diabetes, heart
disease or heart attack; 3. Not be excessively overweight – call the Red Cross/NMDP
(#5 below) with any questions; 4. Not at high risk for contracting AIDS or the HIV virus;
5. For more specific medical guidelines, call the Atlanta Red Cross/NMDP at 404/253-5582.
Costs: The cost of tissue typing each donor is $80.50 or, for 1,200 projected donors at this drive, a total of $96,600. With a grant from the Department of the Navy and Community Matching Funds that we've secured, plus a tax-deductible $30 fee assessed to the projected 1,100 Caucasian donors, we've accounted for $52,950 of these costs. The remaining balance that must be raised is $43,650. Note: because of an acute and urgent need for non-Caucasian donors, there will be no fee assessed for the 100 projected minorities including, but not limited to, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, African Americans, American Indian and Alaska Natives.
Fundraising is on-going in order to raise the additional funds to ensure that no donor is denied the opportunity to join the Registry. All fees paid and other donations made are tax-deductible, and 100% of all funds collected will go toward the actual tissue typing costs (no administrative fees, etc.). Checks may be sent to The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation (a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt public charity), 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA 30011 (note ‘bone marrow drive’ in the memo section).
Important Note: If you decide to join,
carefully consider the commitment to remain on the Registry until age 61. While there are circumstances that may cause you
to be unavailable if contacted as a potential donor, timing is crucial for patients
searching for a bone marrow match. If you
have a change of address, a significant change affecting long-term health, or a change in
personal commitment to be a potential donor, you are requested to notify your donor center
immediately.
Directions to Perimeter Church, located at 9500
Medlock Bridge Rd., Duluth, GA 30097 (678) 405-2000: At the corner of Old Alabama Rd. at Medlock Bridge
Rd. (Hwy 141), Perimeter Church is located about 9 miles outside I-285 north of Atlanta.
Take the Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Exit #31B off I-285 and follow it and Hwy 141 north
toward Cumming & Dahlonega about 4 miles. Stay left on Hwy 141 at the split and go
about 5 miles to the light at Old Alabama Rd. Go left and then take the first right into
the Perimeter parking lot. The drive will be in the fellowship hall just off the lobby
through the main entrance. For additional information about this bone marrow drive,
contact Stuart Mosher at 678-377-7036 or by email at: stuartmosher@aol.com.
Reflections from Stuart Mosher – 4/16/01 The words ‘leukemia’ and ‘bone marrow transplant’ became personal to us with Shannon's diagnosis in 2/99 and subsequent relapse in 11/99…followed by Shannon’s transplant on 3/18/00 and, sadly, her death on 5/20/00 at age 28.
The need for more bone marrow donors on the national registry was nothing we had ever heard about before 1999. But for my wife, Teresa, and me, addressing that need has now become a passion of ours, a ministry in serving others, and a major focus of our lives.
Contrasted with being an organ donor by checking a box on your driver’s license, becoming a bone marrow or stem cell donor takes a little more ‘real time’ commitment -- taking the time to have a small sample of blood drawn for tissue typing to get on the national registry; a small tax-deductible fee related to the tissue typing costs; and then waiting and responding to a future call stating you are a match for someone and could save their life. There are no further medical costs to you as the donor, and the actual procedure is a relatively minor one.
The person in need will be someone’s daughter (like Shannon), a son, husband, wife, mother or father, sister or brother, perhaps related to a member of your church or synagogue. While the person could be a relative or friend of yours, most likely he or she would be a stranger. But what a blessed opportunity to be able to respond as Jesus instructed in the parable of the Good Samaritan, who stopped to help the Jewish man who was left on the road half dead: “Go and do likewise.” I don’t imagine many in the Christian or Jewish community would knowingly not step forward to save a person’s life by donating a little bone marrow.
You may be a perfect match for someone right now, someone who won’t live through the end of this year without receiving a transplant. But you won’t have the opportunity to make that decision if you’re not on the national registry and available when the various transplant centers around the world are searching to find a match for a patient.
With over 4 million volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors on the National Marrow Program Registry (NMDP), there was still not a perfect 6 out of 6 antigen match for Shannon that would have increased her chances significantly. While we were very grateful for the donor (5 out of 6 match from Wales) who did give Shannon and us some hope that her life would be extended, in our view there just weren’t enough people on the various worldwide registries.
The fact is that each year more than 30,000 people are diagnosed with diseases that can be cured by a marrow or blood stem cell transplant, but 70% of them will need an unrelated donor for their transplant – and on any given day, more than 3,000 patients are searching the NMDP Registry for a matched unrelated donor. Also, hundreds of thousands of new volunteer bone marrow donors are needed each year just to replace that number of donors who are removed from the registries due to death, age, medical, or other reasons.
A major focus of our Foundation is to increase these numbers significantly. As suggested by our Foundation theme SALT & LIGHT, become a bone marrow donor...Save A Life Tomorrow so that others may Live In Great Hope Today. For more information about becoming a bone marrow donor visit the National Marrow Donor Program website: www.marrow.org.
Please take the first step to perhaps saving a life through a bone marrow or blood stem cell donation by getting tested and registered.
In His love,
Stuart Mosher
Bone Marrow Donor Emphasis - continued:
A major priority of the work done by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation is to increase the numbers of committed donors on the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry, The Caitlin Raymond International Registry and other recognized bone marrow registries. If you have an interest in helping to coordinate a bone marrow drive in your area and/or if there is someone in your company who we might contact to determine if they would perhaps sponsor a bone marrow drive, please contact the Foundation at stuartmosher@aol.com.
There is an on-going need for an increase in the diversity of donors to be registered and retained on the NMDP Registry, the Caitlin Registry, and other recognized worldwide bone marrow registries. While there are close to 5 million donors on the various registries (over 4 million on the NMDP Registry), not all patients are able to find the perfect match that would provide them with the best possibility for a successful transplant and extended life. These registries may be contacted as follows:
NMDP at 1.800.627.7692 (or visit their website address at: www.marrow.org); or
The Caitlin Raymond International Registry at 1.800.726.2824 (or visit their website at: www.crir.org).
NOTE: After getting into a second remission, it was critical from a timing standpoint that Shannon receive her transplant at the earliest possible date before relapsing again. Also, Shannon had a very high risk cytogenetic abnormality, which made it more difficult for the doctors to find a perfectly matched (6 antigens out of 6 antigens) donor. The result was that her transplant came from a donor who was a 5 out of 6 match, which in itself reduces the chances for a successful procedure. Shannon died because of complications from the leukemia and the bone marrow transplant that she received. We were extremely grateful, as other patients and families are, that a suitable though not perfectly matched unrelated donor was willing to donate marrow that at least gave us hope (there are some success stories involving 5 out of 6 matched transplants). But this emphasizes the need for a larger number of diverse donors on the registries that will provide future leukemia patients with better chances to receive perfect matches.
Some facts from the NMDP reveal the following: Each year, over 30,000 people are diagnosed with leukemia or other life-threatening blood diseases. Only 30% of all patients in need of a bone marrow transplant actually find a matched donor within their family. On any given day, more than 3,000 patients are searching the NMDP Registry for a matched donor.
Contributions: There are several ways that you can help financially to assist the Foundation in its efforts:
1. Make a contribution to the General Fund of the Foundation to help support our Patient Assistance program. 100% of all contributions to the General Fund are redirected back to leukemia patients in form of reimbursement checks for expenses that may not be paid by their insurance.
2. Make a contribution to the Bone Marrow Drive Fund of the Foundation, to help add new bone marrow donors to the national registries. These contributions go toward covering lab tissue typing costs, which is presently about $52.00 for each donor.
3. Make a contribution to the Operating Fund of the Foundation to help with monthly operational expenses incurred in efforts such as meeting with other leukemia patients and those needing a bone marrow transplant and in promoting the need for more bone marrow donors on the national registries.
NOTE: Tax-deductible contributions to the Foundation for any one of the above three Funds (if no notation is made, the contribution will go to the General Fund) may be made by sending a check or money order payable to :
The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc., c/o Treasurer, 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA 30011.
Thank you for your generosity and desire to help. Please provide your name and full address, and the Foundation will send a written acknowledgement of your contribution.
All contributions to the above Funds are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. These Funds are administered by The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c) (3), non-profit tax-exempt organization located at 3589 Rock Elm Court, Auburn, GA 30011, whose primary mission is to assist leukemia patients and their families; to increase the funding for leukemia and bone marrow transplant research; and to increase the number of bone marrow donors on the national registries.
THE
SHANNON MOSHER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, INC. (REG. #13950) RECEIVES 100% OF EACH FINANCIAL
CONTRIBUTION (THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONAL SOLICITORS OR FUNDRAISERS CONTRACTED BY THE
FOUNDATION WHO RETAIN ANY PERCENTAGE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED). A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL
INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE
WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT,
APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
For additional information about the above specific Funds, please contact the Foundation at stuartmosher@aol.com, or call 1-678-377-7036.
4. One area of special interest to the Foundation relates to "post-transplant complications." In order to attract significant contributions for research from corporations and other non-profit organizations and foundations, the Foundation has established The Shannon Mosher Memorial Research Fund at The Marrow Foundation in Washington, D.C.
This Fund has been established to raise research money that will be directed to specific Scholars and Post-Doctoral Fellows whose works specifically pursue the study of post-transplant complications, such as graft vs, host disease and other infectious diseases which, at the end of Shannon's 15-month battle with leukemia and just two months after her bone marrow transplant, are what took her from us.
Tax-deductible contributions to help in these efforts to find scientific breakthroughs that will reduce the mortality rates caused by post-transplant complications may be made to:
The Marrow Foundation for The Shannon Mosher Research Fund. Mail these gifts to: 3001 Broadway St., N.E., Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55413-1753.
For additional information about The Shannon Mosher Research Fund, please contact The Marrow Foundation at tmf@nmdp.org or call 1-202-638-6601, or contact The Shannon Mosher Memorial Foundation at stuartmosher@aol.com or call 1-678-377-7036.