Already in agreement. Although, the central point is included on BB, Roger Ebert's full blog entry is definitely worth reading.

Oh, I look forward to this.

There are opportunities on other occasions (maybe not of this scale) in which people can provide a sample free of charge, but *someone* will pay for it, even if it is not the person registering. This is why donations are constantly requested by registries. Many current and past patients do donate for typing. Any time a person enrolls online using a promo code, someone has paid in advance, usually a friend or family member who knows a current patient looking for a match, or through fundraising for that person.

You know it is free in my country, but that means everyone still pays, just through taxes. The cost spread out across millions of people, doesn't make it so bad. But it is something anybody could need at any time, so it makes sense.

(Beggars in Spain: excellent book)

If a child (and his parents) is not sleeping much or normally, it can have huge repercussions. As a person who does not sleep well and is often sleep-deprived for a few weeks at a time (meaning I sleep but not much, and every 2 to 6 weeks I go one to two days with no sleep at all), I can tell you that it wreaks havoc on every part of your life, and your health. Your immune system is usually shot, for one. Your level of emotional control and stress gets closer to nil as you have less and less sleep and this affects your perception and all sorts of decisions. It ages you badly, too.

You do learn to cope. To a point. I was much better at it from 13 to 34, but now it is getting increasingly difficult. And unless you have sleep apnea many doctors do not treat long-term sleep disorders seriously.

The articles don't say much, but after reading the related articles about the boy's condition, his family must be going through a lot. With US medical care being at a cost to the family, it must be a (waking) nightmare. I hope they all pull through.

Red Fury!

You are EXACTLY the type of person the registries are searching for. Specifically because people of mixed ethnic backgrounds are the hard people to match, the more that are on the registries the better their chance.

Learn about MatchMaker here.

Bellamama! I was thinking of you and hoping that you would read this entry.

It is great to know you could do this without having to sacrifice something else.

Tenn,

Ha ha! Unintentional. Although I'm a woman.

#22 Aeflash: The guy holding the RSS logo is my brother, Emru. He has acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and a condition called monosomy 7. One of his symptoms is diabetes insipidus (unrelated to type 1 and type 2 diabetes).

While AML is a common form of cancer, there are under ten reported cases of a patient with this triumvirate of conditions, and he is extremely resistant to chemo.

Emru is an animation and technology writer and blogger. He is co-chair of an international computer animation festival. He is a science fiction, animation, comic book, and computer geek (which is why I we get along). He is a father, brother, and friend.

He is now a bone marrow registry awareness activist. He is trying hard to find his match and increase his odds, but he is also trying to find matches for people we have met along the way, and those we have never met.

As with many other cancer patients he has undergone chemo and lost his hair after each treatment. He continues to blog about bone marrow drives and stories he finds in the news. So a bald dude holding an RSS logo kind of fits the theme. This graphic was made by our talented friend Matt Forsythe.

This is a picture anyone can use to link to his blog. We also have a page that isn't linked to the site yet of RSS feeds of bone marrow drives by state.

I couldn't find any information on the CRIR's policy concerning homosexual male donors, but I am on the road to confirming it for my own satisfaction and to be able to give the information to others.

Canada just imposed a ban in January at the governmental level, even though the organ and tissue banks did not have a say in the matter.

I disagree with the ban for a number of reasons, and it is ironic that I have to tell some of my friends they can't donate. Thank you to all who pointed to CRIR's policy. I will follow up on this.

Please remember, even if you live somewhere where you cannot donate because of these discriminatory laws, you can still RECEIVE.

Dear Mark's Grandma,

I wish you a happy birthday and all the best to you this year.

Another one @Bellamama:

If you donate blood or platelets, you will most likely be able to request free registration for bone marrow for free. You should inquire about this if the other methods I desribe above are ineffective for you.

I think there is still a lot to be said on this issue, and the previous post on BB began to scratch the surface. Kudos for posting about it again so soon.

I wish Erica, her family and friends the best of luck as she goes through this. I'll also make sure the information about this drive goes up on the appeal site for Emru (if he doesn't get to it first).

I wonder how the Barenaked Ladies would feel about recording a satire of their own song?

@Jessica: Thank you very much for letting more people know about what's happening.

@Takuan: If you have more questions. Ask me if you can't find it elsewhere. Yes, there is an age range. The minimum age is 18, and the maximum age varies between 45 and 60 depending on country. The reasons are twofold: stem cell transplants from older donors tend to have a lower success rate, and for people nearing 60 there are concerns about anaesthesia and general surgery that seem to be less of an issue the younger you are. I forgot to mention that surgery of all types carries some risk, even cosmetic surgery. However, surgery for a bone marrow transplant does not have added risk.

@Bellamama: This is a good point! In some countries, notably the United States, there is a fee associated with registering. In Canada and the UK, it's free. You do have some options:

Insurance: I know you don't have this, but people should look to see if their plan covers them. Many plans do.

Join in person: If you are part of a group that is underrepresented, there are usually funds available to cover your fee when you register in person. Some underrepresented groups include people of African, Native, Chinese, Pacific Islander, and people of mixed heritage.

Promotional codes: People can pay for promotional codes associated with a patient. Basically, supporters of the patient pay for a certain number of registrants, so the registrants won't have to. If this is done for someone who is likely hard to match, it is generally assumed that you are using the code because you have a similar background. Others will simply encourage everyone they can to register. If you get a promotional code, then you can order a swab kit online, enter the code when you complete the form, and when you get the kit at your home, complete the swabbing according to intstructions and send it back.

@Takuan: Well said. I, too, congratulate BB for posting this.

You mentioned you went to the OneMatch website. Are you in Canada? There is a pretty good FAQ there once you find it.

The donation process (this is from the US registry site):

http://www.marrow.org/DONOR/When_You_re_Asked_to_Donate_fo/Donation_FAQs/index.html#process

People should also keep in mind that the registries work together. Someone in the UK could end up matching someone in the US, for instance. So people can get involved in any country that has a registry.

@Takuan: That's Miss Townsend.

If by profiling you are discussing the ban on gay donors, I agree, stop profiling.

If by profiling you are discussing not discussing ethnic background at all, I disagree.

For blood groupings, and even more so for bone marrow typing, ethnic background can play a huge factor. I am not talking about race, which is a construct mean to be divisive, and gives the appearance of being rigid, but this is just the fact of inheritance. The difficulty of this message is trying to get the registry diversified but also let people understand that ANYONE can be the match, even if the odds aren't as good.

Also: The process. If you would like an explanation of the process, there are descriptions of the process which I will post here tonight. Excruciating pain is a myth, although there is discomfort for a few days for a traditional donation after you wake up from surgery. The donor can be given pain medication to moderate it, but nothing extraordinary.

Travel expenses, if any, are paid. If you get any type of medical leave at work, this usually qualifies as paid leave.

Recovery. Discomfort in the hip or lower back is normal. Possible symptoms are limping, achiness, dizziness. 2-4 days max, and many people experience less than this. Most people feel at 100% after a week. Your actual bone marrow is replaced completely after 6 weeks.

Fear of Rejection?? This is more the recipient's fear and does not affect the donor's health. Also, the donation process will not happen if there is a danger to the donor.

I will be glad to answer any more questions you have. You can also email me and my brother directly via the appeal website.

This is my brother. I can't express how happy I am to see this. Thank you to the person who suggested the link.

@Takuan: It doesn't hurt much, or in the case of cytapheresis, maybe not at all.

@Steven and Takuan: Both Emru and I were against the ban in Canada on gay donors before we found out he would need a transplant from an unrelated donor. We have asked our friends who are ineligible to speak up about the ban, write their representatives, but also encourage others to donate, since this limits the pool further.

@Shad: Listen, where in the text are any text does it say you're supposed to feel bad? Do you feel bad when you read about white people? Is there anyone else you "feel bad" for? Listen, you can keep your guilt to yourself, because nobody asked for it.

This is a part of history, just like anything else. It is highlighted because it is not necessarily common knowledge and this is the way to make it so: but discussing it.

Even if people who don't look like you dominate the sport, basketball wasn't always a game played professionally by a disproportionate number of African-Americans. That's why this documentary charts that evolution. If it was another ethnic group it would be interesting to chart as well, don't you think?

It's quite sad that you feel so threatened. If a white player had been chosen over you and kicked out for drugs, would you feel as victimized? What would you have found to focus your lament on?You're scapegoating can be felt even over the Internet.

Very cute. These kids seem to have their heart in the right place.

For people who say the are against same-sex relationships, Prime Minister and Jim Prentice are willing to bend over for President Bush and corporate interests in the blink of an eye.

We all knew after the last attempt that this issue wasn't dead. I'd suggest that the people who have been writing letters also send a copy to their local newspaper, television station, and radio station. If people begin getting letters to the editor about this, it will shift the content in the editorial page, but possibly the front pages as well.

Let's do this thing.

As a Canadian of African descent (who happens to be told she tips too generously), I don't even know where to start.

I'm unsurprised, but generally disappointed with most of the comments I'm reading on this thread. Commenters mostly miss the point, dismiss the real problem, or make your their prejudices more apparent.

I keep making the mistake when I read the smarter blogs, that I will also see smarter comments when it comes to discrimination issues. The ignorance and dismissal just manifests itself differently, especially among those who may even feel they are quite enlightened.

So in that vain, it has been very educational and teaches me why I still have to keep vigilant of *everyone* I meet. Thanks for the link... and the reminder.

I don't think there is a terrorist behind every corner, but how easy is it for someone to pose as a TSA manager to ask someone to pose as a bomb "tester"? All you need is someone gullible enough to agree because he or she feels that helping makes the skies safer.