Gift of Life Marrow Registry Partners with National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference to Save Lives

Virtual donor drive to be held during Hispanic Heritage Month to honor late wife of pastor. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) October 04, 2017 - Gift of Life Marrow Registry, Pastor Tony Suarez and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference are teaming up on Sunday, October 8, 2017 to recruit marrow donors to help patients suffering from blood cancer and who are in dire need of a transplant.

Pastor Suarez lost his wife Jessica in October 2016 after a valiant fight against leukemia. To honor her memory and raise awareness during Hispanic Heritage Month we will host “Gift of Life Sunday”, a virtual donor drive, as we look toward a future where no other family suffers such a devastating loss.

Everyone between the ages of 18 and 45 and in general good health is encouraged to order a free donor kit online at www.giftoflife.org/jessica and join the worldwide marrow registry. A simple swab from the inside of your cheek is all it takes to determine if you are a match. Donor information is confidential and protected by strict medical regulations.

“A transplant is only successful if donors and recipients have a close genetic match, and right now, there simply aren’t enough Hispanics in the registry,” said Pastor Suarez. “In fact, more than half of Hispanic patients whose lives could be saved with a transplant never find a matching donor. The more donors that join the registry, the better chances for survival for our parents, our children and everyone we love.”

The Hispanic and Latino population of the United States faces a tremendous challenge: leukemia and lymphoma rates for both men and women are higher than for other groups, and cancer is now the leading cause of death among Hispanics, even above heart disease. Many types of lymphoma, leukemia and other blood disorders can be treated or cured through bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplants. However, approximately 55 percent of Hispanic/Latino patients are unable to find a matching bone marrow or stem cell donor due to underrepresentation in the registry.

For more information about Gift of Life and saving lives through bone marrow donation, please visit www.giftoflife.org or call 1-800-9MARROW.

About Gift of Life
Gift of Life Marrow Registry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. The organization, established in 1991, is dedicated to saving lives and facilitating bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood-related diseases. To learn more about Gift of Life Marrow Registry, visit www.giftoflife.org.

###

space

Other Related Press Releases