One Match Is Coming To Durham On June 25 2016 JOIN US
Why you should Donate Blood
Last week headlines read
Stem cell transplant cures children with sickle cell anemia, says Alberta hospital
7 girls, 2 boys cured in what lead doctor considers unprecedented treatment
By Lisa Monforton, CBC News Posted: Jun 06, 2016 3:03 PM MT Last Updated: Jun 06, 2016 8:30 PM MT
As cited by CBC, and numerous other platforms. No one else is offering this protocol in children with sickle cell anemia," said Guilcher, who is also an assistant professor in the departments of oncology and pediatrics at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine.
What sets the Calgary procedure apart from other sickle cell anemia cures in young children is the lead up to the transplant.
" This protocol uses the 'lightest' doses of medication — no chemotherapy but immune suppressing drugs only, with a low dose of radiation," said Dr. Guilcher in a statement.
While the protocol was developed and is used in the U.S., Dr. Guilcher said he's not aware of any other hospital using it on children.
More exciting is the fact that there have been no incidents of stem cell rejection.
With this amazing news Tamika Allen, left, was a perfect stem cell match to her sister Cardelia Fox, which allowed her to have a procedure curing her of sickle cell anemia. (CBC)
Once Allen found out she was a full match, she didn't think twice about helping her sister.
Without a family match, the transplant procedure is generally considered too risky to perform.
Awareness regarding the importance of donating blood and the participation of the One Match Program has not been covered within the Caribbean and other ethnically diverse Communities. As your advocate, and as an Expert Health Care writer for the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper I wrote an article when our city was faced with the challenge to help save Davey's live with the attempt to find him a stem cell match Read Article . Unfortunately, Mr. Rochester lost his battle to Leukemia in early 2016.
DID YOU KNOW that there are over 80 diseases that require Blood and stem cells? The goal is to reach out to our community and get you all involved in a vital process that is needed to help individuals who require Blood. What greater gift is there than the gift of life? That’s exactly what every blood donation delivers. Blood and blood products are a critical part of everyday medical care including major surgeries, medical procedures, cancer treatments and managing disease. You can go one step further along with donating blood.
Quick Fact: Everyone has two genes that determine their blood type, it’s passed on from parents to children, just like eye color. O negative (O-) is the universal donor type, which means it can be transfused to anyone in need. That’s why it’s always in high demand — it’s used in emergency situations when there is no time to test a patient’s blood type.
People with AB+ blood are known as universal recipients, meaning they can receive blood from anyone. as cited by Canadian Blood Services.
You can also get involved in a critical life-saving initiative called One match. One match helps individuals that require Stem cell transplants, A variety of diseases and disorders are treated with stem cell transplants, including blood-related diseases such as leukemia, Sickle cell disease, aplastic anemia, and inherited immune system and metabolic disorders. One Match is an Initiative that is vital to helping save lives especially for those with Leukemia and as seen by the article above it can also cure Sickle cell providing that you have the right match. On June 25 2016 I will be heading the Health Pavillion at The Durham Caribbean Festival.
You may be eligible to join One Match if you are between 17 and 35 years old and meet certain health criteria. Because a person's best chance of finding a matching donor is within his or her own ethnic group, it is important that donors reflect Canada's ethnic diversity. It is also important for the future of OneMatch to attract young donors. However, there are some health problems that could make you ineligible which include: some heart conditions, cancer, blood diseases, insulin-dependent diabetes, and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS or hepatitis B and C. There are also height and weight restrictions in place to protect both donors and recipients. People who do not meet the program's height and weight criteria may be at a higher risk when undergoing surgery. One match is done very simply by swabbing the inside of your cheeks and if you are a match you will be registered to be a donor by the Canadian Blood Services.
This has been your health care buzz with Michelle Smith Come out on June 25 2016 11am-8pm to get your Swab On for more info contact 416-567-7556
http://torontocaribbean.com/reasons-why-you-should-donate-blood/
http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-doctors-develop-new-stem-cell-transplant-procedure-to-cure-children-with-sickle-cell-anemia
