HEALTHY REASONING: Donating To Save Lives

By Allan Jones
Pride Health Columnist

In August 2013, Jamaican born Dorothy Vernon Brown woke up and discovered what looked like a bruise on one of her legs. Of course she was a little concerned, so she visited her doctor. The doctor gave her what was the worst news a patient would ever want to hear… “I think you have leukemia” (cancer of the blood)… “Please go to the hospital right away to ensure you are safe for the weekend”.

Dorothy, a mother, wife and entrepreneur, is now in desperate need of a stem cell transplant to live. Our bodies make stem cells daily. They are young cells that develop into blood cells. If Dorothy receives healthy stem cells, of the right match, they can replace diseased blood cells, and she can live a healthy life.

Mrs. Vernon-Brown is of Jamaican / African / Irish ancestry, so a match is most likely to be found among individuals from the Jamaican / West Indian community, particularly young men (women not excluded), between the ages of 17 to 35. Once you register with the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network at www.OneMatch.ca, the process starts and arrangements are made for a pain free swab of your cheek cells to be taken. The information is entered into the database and any of the over 750 Canadians like Dorothy, in need of a stem cell transplant may find a match from your screening.

The OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow network of potential stem cell donors, consists of 72% Caucasian, 28% of other ethnic groups, and includes only 1% potential Black donors. This is a very bad situation, because it means there is less likelihood for the current 42 beloved mothers, fathers, aunts or uncles from the Black community waiting for a stem cell transplant, to get a match. We need to stand ready to donate stem cells for leukemia patients and others, like sickle cell disease and lymphoma patients.

Two Sundays ago, I was at a Registration / Swab Event in honour of Dorothy Vernon-Brown, and had the opportunity to interact with Dorothy and her family, friends and supporters, and others who were complete strangers to Dorothy. I laughed, cried and was taken through many emotions, however the most touching experience for me, next to the fact that my son Jesse, turned up to have his cheek swabbed, was my chat with another Black woman, with leukemia, also in need of a stem cell transplant, Antiguan born Sonia Beckford. She, in need of support herself, came to support Dorothy. She was there only four days after hearing that a person with a compatible match, which was discovered in December 2013, had changed their mind and was no longer willing to donate their stem cells to her. This is not an easy situation for her. One day she was looking forward to having the stem cell transplant and then it’s not there. However, she is still faithful, and turned up with her husband Chester still praising God.

As a community we need to participate in giving blood and organs to prolong life. Have you ever thought of signing the organ donation card that comes with your driver’s licence? Many of us are on dialysis due to kidney disease from diabetes, and the only relief from dialysis is a kidney transplant. Do you give blood? In the Black community we have high rates of sickle cell disease, and we use high volumes of blood from time to time. It is time we recognize that we have to give to get.

This is a moment for members of the Black community to step up and support patients everywhere awaiting stem cell matches and blood transfusions. There are 42 Black patients that need us now. On the OneMatch donor network, there are over 325,000 potential stem cell donors, with a little over 3000 potential donors from the Black community, that makes only 1% of Canada’s network, our heritage. Right now there is a strong need for more young Black male donors to register. Do you have a son, spouse, uncle, cousin or other males between the age of 17 to 35 in your family or circle? Please encourage them to register. Remember, we are not discouraging females to register; we are just encouraging men more, because the potential for a successful transplant is greater with men.

If each person who read this article gets even one person to register at www.OneMatch.ca, you could be a life saver to Dorothy Vernon-Brown, Sonia Beckford and others. Please….they need your help…IT IS URGENT.

Allan Jones is a Health Promoter and Broadcaster. He can be reached at allan@jjmedical.ca.