The National Bone Marrow Registry is rallying the public to help those who need transplants — including one local teenager.
Fifteen-year-old Shaneemah Branch is fighting against the aggressive form of leukemia that is trying to take her life. Like many other silent sufferers throughout this country, Branch, of 18th and McKean streets, needs a bone marrow transplant to survive.
The teenager, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in March 2002, is African American, which only makes her plight more desperate. Of 5-million-plus members, the National Bone Marrow Registry has just 388,000 African-American donors, said Evette Torres, the registry’s diversity coordinator.
"A lot of minorities have a fear of the unknown. There’s been a lot of myths and bits of misinformation that have been perpetuated throughout the African-American community, and it’s scared a lot of people away," she said. "The truth is, it’s a very simple and safe procedure."
Torres is hoping for a healthy turnout for a local marrow drive on Saturday. The event will be held on behalf of Branch at the True Gospel Tabernacle Church, 16th and Mifflin streets, from 1-5 p.m.
The drive, organized by members of the church and Branch’s family, will require interested parties to fill out paperwork and submit a small blood sample.
While Branch is the inspiration for this drive, the marrow samples will benefit whomever they match — not necessarily the teenager, who has been unable to find a donor within her family.
Potential donors must be between 18 and 60 and in good health.
For an actual transplant, bone marrow — the spongy tissue found inside bones that contains the stem cells used to produce the body’s white and red blood cells — is removed with a needle through the rear hip bone, where a large percentage of marrow is located. Doctors typically take 2 percent of a donor’s marrow, which the body replaces in four to six weeks.
Those who go through the process are generally glad they did, Torres said.
"I’ve had a lot of donors tell me they would do it again in a heartbeat," Torres said.
Branch, whose struggle with leukemia was featured in the Review in August, hopes to leave Children’s Hospital on Saturday and attend the drive for a few hours.
"Shaneemah’s a fighter," said her grandmother, Joan. "Even with all of the medicine in her, she keeps running around. She’s determined to beat this thing."
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If you are interested in becoming a bone marrow donor, call the Red Cross National Bone Marrow Donor Program at 215-451-4313.
