By Satoko HasegawaStaff Writer
Hispanic bone marrow donors are needed because a San Diego nativeZeke de la Garza is fighting a rare form of leukemia called B-CellAcute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The 22-year-old is currentlyhospitalized and waiting for a bone marrow match.
“Garza needs to have a bone marrow transplant as soon aspossible,” said Marlo Brooks, a recruitment specialist for the sterncell donor center at the San Diego Blood Bank. “Time is reallyagainst him at this point. There’s nothing medicines can do.”
Garza is Hispanic and Caucasian. Brooks said bone marrow usuallymatches someone with a similar ethnic background.
“Unfortunately, minority groups are severely under represented onthe bone marrow registry,” Brooks said. “We are really encouragingHispanics to come out to join the registry. And all (otherethnicities) are welcome.”
Bone marrow is gelatinous tissue in one’s bone cavities. The whiteblood cells created in the bone marrow contain immune defenses.Certain types of immune deficiency, like leukemia, require marrowtransplants for treatment. According to the Leukemia and LymphomaSociety, it is possible that leukemia is hereditary.
About two years ago, Garza saved his sister’s life by donating hisbone marrow when she had leukemia. His sister went into remission.Everything seemed well until last November, in an ill-twist of fatewhen Garza was diagnosed leukemia.
His sister cannot save his life, Poser said, because once a personhas leukemia, the person cannot donate bone marrow to someone else,even after recovering.
According to the San Diego Blood Bank, Garza wants to “beat thisthing,” and then, marry his dream girl who “has stood by his sidefrom the day he met her five years ago.”
There are basic requirements to be a bone marrow donor. Apotential donor should be between the age of 18 to 60 with nopersonal history of asthma, cancer, heart or circulatory disease. Thepotential donor has to be within 20 percent of the ideal weight forone’s height and age, and willing to be a donor for anyone who needsa transplant.
Brooks said the procedure is painless and takes about 10 minutes.After filling out a consent form, a small blood sample is taken andthe data is recorded in a computer database.
“As far as physically helping, donating bone marrow is probablythe best way (to help leukemia patients),” Poser said.
Brooks said the chances of actually meeting a match are likewinning a lottery. But she said “the drive increases the chances forpatients who are waiting for a match. Nothing is going to save theirlives like a bone marrow drive.”
The College of Health and Human Services Student Council on campusis sponsoring a Blood Marrow Drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow atCasa Real, in conjunction with the San Diego Blood Bank.
The drive is to find bone marrow donors, not only for leukemiapatients, but also patients with blood diseases that need bone marrowtransplants, said the CHHS vice president Jillian Poser.
Brooks said they are expecting at least 200 students to show up.For more information about the Bone Marrow Registry, call1-800-479-3902, Ext. 160, or visit the Web site at www.sandiegobloodbank.org.
