MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin will host a registration drive for Be the Match 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Oct. 11-14, in the Boling University Center. Be the Match is a non-profit that manages the National Marrow Donor Registry, which is the most diverse bone marrow registry worldwide, and matches potential donors to patients in need of a transplant.
Participants will make an account with Be the Match at the drive and swab their cheeks. From there, the DNA collected from the swab is entered into the registry to potentially be matched with a patient. Those who register will only be contacted for donation if their bone marrow matches that of a patient in need.
“It’s free and easy to do, but it means the world to families who need a match for a loved one,” Dr. Kelle Alden, assistant professor of English, director of the Writing Center, and Be the Match affiliate. “I hope students will come by just to learn more about bone marrow donation because we don’t hear about it as often, yet it has impacted the lives of many people on our campus.”
For more information, contact Alden at kalden@utm.edu.