Conference quark::human_relations-v1

984.0. "A Mother's Cry For Help..." by CSCMA::BALDWIN () Fri Apr 06 1990 13:16

    <I hope this is found appropriate for this conference as I read
    the entire rules section and found nothing mentioned...but Moderators
    please feel free to either move this discussion to a more appropriate
    topic or send to me and tell me the appropriate conference for this.
    It is already in the RELIGION conference>.
    
    A young wife and mother of two, Pat Brindisi, will die without a
    bone marrow transplant if we do not locate a donor as soon as possible.
    If you know of anyone, or if you yourself would care to donate,PLEASE
    PLEASE come forward and call #508-754-3520 ASAP!
    
    My church's people have been rallying around Pat and her husband
    Bob for a very long time now, and the support she has been receiving
    has been to say the least...outstanding. But now, TIME has become
    a crucial factor and they need help now and fast.
    
    Some brief facts for those who wish to help:
    
    1) Any healthy adult 18-55 may donate. "PHERESIS" is a term which
    means donating a certain part of your blood that is very important
    for bone marrow recipients...platelets...the clotting factor of
    your blood.
    
    2) Donor information may be obtained by calling #1-800-258-0025,ex#2075
    and speak with Deborah Katcher Buckley. She'll give you more
    information on what you can do to help and direct you from there.
    
    3) To be tested will NOT COST ANYTHING!! as long as you're willing
    to donate your platelets. If you become a Bone Marrow Donor, that
    also will NOT COST YOU ANYTHING!! as the recipient's health insurance
    covers the donor. You are not obliged to donate if you are contacted.
    
    Pat's chances of getting a donor are 1 in 20,000. Less than 20%
    of patients survive without a Bone Marrow Transplant. Her chances
    of survival after a transplant could increase to 70%.
     
    I hope this plight of this very special lady has stirred some of
    you to bring this message to your own community/religious
    organizations, and if you may contribute to this cause in some way,
    then this cry for help will not have been in vain. I've listed some
    other people to contact below, but please help in anyway that you
    are able...and please know that your assistance is greatly appreciated.
    
    Kevin Baldwin
    James and Karen # 508-562-6625
    Park Avenue Red Cross # 508-791-7444 Pheresis Center
    BOB AND PAT BRINDISI # 508-754-3520

    Would you explain, please, what exactly does a donor DO for a bone
    marrow transplant?  
    
    Thank you,
    Paula

    re-.1
    
    Paula (and anybody else who may want to know):
    
    I don't want to give out any possible misconceptions about the
    procedure, so to get the exact information, I strongly recommend
    you contact #1-800-258-0025 ext. # 2075 and ask for Deborah Katcher
    Buckley. She'll provide you with all the proper information and
    will then send you information on being a donor (and also being
    a Pheresis donor). 
    
    Once you've read the information, contact the RED CROSS on Park
    Avenue in Worcester at #508-791-7444. Ask for their Pheresis Center
    and tell them you'd like to be tested and put into the National
    Bone Marrow registry. 
    
    But, I know many of you have many different questions. I can also
    recommend you call and ask Pat herself at #508-754-3520 and get
    it right from "the source" as it were. She would just appreciate
    your call and interest in this as I'm sure any of us would. It's
    the caring enough to help save another human being that we're talking
    about here, and I appreciate the responses I've seen thus far and
    I know that if we continue to spread the word, we can find that
    1 in 20,000 donor. Thanks again.
    
    Kevin
    
    
    ps. --- also check out WOMANNOTES-V2 note 1081 for additional info
            on the procedures involved in Pheresis.

    Kevin,
    
    Quick question...I'm on the West Coast (Santa Clara, California)...
    is it possible for me to help being this far away?  
    
    Skip
    

    Please use MAIL for all further correspondence on this topic.
    Thanks.
    
    				Steve

    Better still, if you have any further questions, I would call Pat
    Brindisi herself at (508) 754-3520 or Deborah Katcher Buckley at
                        (800) 258-0025 extension # 2075. They can help
                        you out a lot quicker and a lot more accurately
                        than I could, and we could then eliminate the
                        correspondence on this topic. Thanks for your
                        concern and interest everybody.
    
    Kevin