In the world of donors, the minds of most people automatically jump to livers and blood. These are heroes who don’t wear capes but choose to donate their blood or even an organ for someone in need. Fewer people are aware of a different type of donation, bone marrow.
Bone marrow is the sponge-like material found inside bones that produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets – in other words, it’s an unsung hero in the body. It gives the body much-needed protection against nasty infections and diseases…it also has a bonus trick of transporting oxygen throughout the body. When a person needs bone marrow transplants, normally their own body can’t do this effectively, or it has been damaged due to cancer chemotherapy treatment.
This type of donation is a tremendous way of saving the lives of people who need transplants for their future. The idea is to transplant your health (in the form of bone marrow) to somebody else, either through surgical removal or non-surgical blood stem cell donations from the bloodstream. Your simple donation can help people with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, and other blood-related diseases and disorders – just think of that: helping somebody who has gone through a crazy few weeks, months, or even years. Wow.
