Donor Matching

Two opportunities are coming up to help Mia Stoutenborough.

Mia, who’s now 16, was diagnosed in January with severe Aplastic Anemia, a rare type of bone marrow failure. The disease prevents bone marrow from producing enough red and white blood cells and platelets, requiring the patient to receive weekly blood cell and platelet transfusions. She needs platelets to clot blood, and she needs red cells for energy and white cells for her immune system – she has none of those. Her body is not making any of them. In March, Mia began immunosuppressive therapy, but there’s been no response.

THIS Saturday to help out Mia, Be The Match will be at the lodge (158 Conejo School Road) to help find a marrow match for Mia and thousands of others in need.

Joining the Be The Match Registry is easy. Patients need donors who are between the ages of 18 and 60, meet the health guidelines and are willing to donate to any patient in need.

When you come to a donor registry drive, they will explain what it means to join the registry, help you understand your commitment, answer your questions and help you through the process.

All you need to do is:

• Complete a registration form with contact information, health information and a signed agreement to join the Be The Match Registry. To help you complete the form, bring along:
  • Personal identification (such as a driver’s license or passport)
  • Contact information for two family members or friends who would know how to reach you in the future if your contact information changes.
• Give either a swab of cheek cells to be tissue-typed.

That’s it! You’ll be listed on their registry where patients turn when they need a matching donor.

The next step is a bone marrow transplant. Please help give Mia and many others in need like her a second chance at life.

On the 31st, in addition to Be The Match returning to continue the search, we will also be sponsoring a Halloween Party fundraiser for Mia’s family to help support them when the match is found.

Take advantage of this opportunity to help give a young girl the gift of life.